Moist lemon bundt cake bursting with fresh blueberries and finished with a bright, tangy lemon glaze. Perfect for spring, summer or an Easter dessert.
When spring arrives I crave anything lemony—sweet or savory—and this Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake is one of my favorites. It’s a dense, pound-cake style bundt with tart lemon flavor, bright bursts of fresh blueberries, and a simple lemon glaze that soaks into the warm cake for extra moisture and flavor.
The recipe comes from a yellowed newspaper clipping I’ve kept for years. Whether it originated in Chicago or Minneapolis, it’s been my go-to for a reliable, delicious lemon-blueberry bundt for more than two decades.
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Fresh blueberries
- Cake flour, baking soda and salt
- Unsalted butter, sugar and eggs
- Lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract for bright lemon flavor
- A small amount of buttermilk for tenderness
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Prepare the pan: Generously butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan, making sure to get into all the crevices.
- Sift dry ingredients: Sift the cake flour, baking soda and salt onto a piece of wax paper for easy folding into the batter.
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter with the sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then the lemon extract, and beat until smooth.
- Combine with buttermilk: Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk (dry, wet, dry, wet, dry) to avoid over-mixing.
- Coat blueberries: Toss the blueberries in a little cake flour, then gently fold them into the batter to keep them from sinking.
- Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, bang the pan on the counter a few times to settle the batter, smooth the top, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Glaze: While the cake bakes, make the lemon glaze and brush it over the warm cake so it absorbs into the crumb. Let the cake cool completely before slicing.
RECIPE NOTES AND TIPS
- Bring eggs, butter and buttermilk to room temperature so they blend evenly.
- Tossing the blueberries in flour helps them distribute evenly and prevents sinking.
- Sifting the dry ingredients onto waxed paper makes it easy to add them to the mixer and helps avoid over-mixing.
- The small amount of buttermilk keeps this dense cake tender and moist.
- After filling the pan, tap it on the counter to settle the batter and release air pockets.
- Brush the lemon glaze onto the warm cake so it soaks in and keeps the cake moist.
- Store the cake at room temperature or wrap and freeze for up to two months. It’s best served at room temperature.
This blueberry lemon bundt cake is a lovely dessert, a satisfying afternoon snack, and—if you ask me—perfect for breakfast when it’s sitting on the counter. Happy spring! xxo—Kelly
Fresh Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake
Moist lemon bundt cake filled with fresh blueberries and topped with a bright lemon glaze.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 466 kcal
Author: Kelly Wildenhaus
Ingredients
Cake
- 3¼ cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ cup buttermilk, shaken
- 2½ cups fresh blueberries
- 3 tablespoons cake flour (for coating blueberries)
Lemon Glaze
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (½ stick)
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan and set aside.
- Sift the cake flour, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of wax paper and set aside. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then the lemon extract. Beat about 3 minutes until thick and smooth.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk in this order: dry, wet, dry, wet, dry. Mix until combined.
- Toss the blueberries with the 3 tablespoons of cake flour, then fold gently into the batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan, bang the pan on the counter a few times to settle the batter, and smooth the top. Bake 55–60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, make the glaze: pulse the confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest in a food processor, then with the machine running add lemon juice and melted butter until smooth. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.
- Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes, invert onto the rack, place the rack over a cookie sheet, and brush the warm cake with the lemon glaze. Reapply glaze as it drips onto the sheet. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before starting.
- Toss blueberries with flour so they stay suspended in the batter.
- Grease and flour the bundt pan well to prevent sticking.
- Tapping the pan after filling helps settle the batter and remove air pockets.
- Brush glaze onto the warm cake to help it absorb and remain moist.
- Store at room temperature or freeze tightly wrapped for up to two months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice — Calories: 466 kcal — Carbohydrates: 75 g — Protein: 6 g — Fat: 21 g — Sugar: 37 g