Description
This moist and tender Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake features a buttery crumb studded with juicy blueberries and bright lemon flavor in every bite. Topped with a sweet lemon glaze, it’s the perfect dessert for any occasion from spring brunches to summer picnics.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons)
- ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (225g) fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing blueberries)
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare your pan and preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan generously with butter or non-stick spray, then line the bottom and long sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal. This double insurance prevents sticking.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and increased in volume. This step is crucial—it incorporates air that helps the cake rise. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add eggs one at a time: Reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds each). The mixture should look smooth and emulsified. If it looks curdled, don’t worry—it will come together when you add the flour.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two additions. Begin and end with flour (flour, sour cream, flour, sour cream, flour). Mix each addition just until combined—overmixing creates a tough cake. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and give it a few final stirs by hand to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Prepare blueberries: In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. This coating helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Gently fold the coated blueberries into the batter using a rubber spatula, being careful not to crush them.
- Pour and smooth: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Bake: Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). If the top is browning too quickly after 40 minutes, tent loosely with aluminum foil. The internal temperature should reach about 200-205°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Cool in pan: Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. This cooling period allows the cake to set so it won’t fall apart when removed.
- Remove from pan: Use the parchment paper overhang to carefully lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to the wire rack. Let it cool completely before glazing (about 1-2 hours).
- Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. The consistency should be thick but pourable—add the additional tablespoon of lemon juice if needed to reach the right consistency.
- Glaze the cake: Once the cake is completely cool, place it on a serving plate or keep it on the rack set over parchment paper. Pour the glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides naturally. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve: Use a sharp serrated knife and wipe it clean between cuts for neat slices. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients are crucial: Cold eggs and sour cream can cause the batter to curdle and result in a dense cake. Set them out about 30 minutes before baking.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten and creates a tough, chewy texture.
- Check for doneness carefully: Pound cakes can be tricky—you want moist crumbs on the toothpick, not wet batter, but the cake should not be dry. Start checking at 60 minutes.
- Frozen blueberries work great: If using frozen, add them directly from the freezer without thawing. Toss them in flour first to prevent color bleeding.
- Adjust baking time for different pans: If using a bundt pan or tube pan, reduce baking time to 50-60 minutes and check earlier.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 165mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 64g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 110mg