Blueberry Sheet Cake

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This single-layer Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake is one of my favorite treats. It’s a classic combination, and this homemade cake beautifully captures the best of lemons and blueberries. If you’ve never had it before, enjoy it as a blueberry birthday cake. It is by far asked for the most in our house out of any other recipes with blueberries.

Slices of blueberry lemon cake with white frosting on plates, garnished with fresh blueberries.

Fresh blueberries are incredibly juicy and they add little pops of freshness throughout this cake recipe. The lemon juice enhances the natural sweetness of the blueberries creating balanced flavors.

If you like easy blueberry recipes, you've got to try these Blueberry Pie Bars, Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls, and Blueberry Rhubarb Pie next!

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake Recipe

Perfect for parties: This sheet cake transports easily so bring it along to any summer BBQ or even a bake sale. It also makes a tasty birthday cake if you're looking to make it homemade!
Easy to make ahead: Prepare this cake and frosting the night before you serve it to save time on the day of your event.
Budget-friendly: Homemade cake is a great way to save some money on your next party.

Ingredients

Below you will find all of the ingredients to make this homemade blueberry cake as well as the lemon frosting. Most of the components are kitchen staples that you may already have on hand!

For the cake:

Butter: I like to use salted butter for this recipe to help enhance the fruit flavors. Ensure it is softened to room temperature so it mixes fully into the cake batter. If you use unsalted you may find you need to add an extra pinch of salt.
Eggs: Large eggs are my go-to for this blueberry cake. They should also be at room temperature to prevent lumps. Eggs are essential for the structure of baked goods.
Greek Yogurt: The fat and acidity of the yogurt keeps the cake moist. You can swap it for sour cream with a similar outcome.
Lemon juice: The subtle lemon flavor from the fresh juice pairs beautifully with the blueberries.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract is one of my favorite ingredients because it adds a hint of warmth and brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.
Baking powder and baking soda: These ingredients ensure a light and fluffy result.
Blueberries: I use fresh blueberries for this recipe. They are perfectly sweet and tart when in season.

For the frosting:

Butter: The base of the frosting that makes it creamy and rich
Flavors: Lemon juice adds tangy acidic flavor ties the frosting to the cake perfectly while vanilla adds a hint of natural sweetness.
Powdered sugar: The best way to sweeten this lemon frosting is with powdered sugar. It sweetens it without adding the gritty texture you would get from granulated sugar.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

Lavender Flavor: Add dried lavender to the cake batter and the frosting to give it a subtle floral note. It pairs great with the berries and lemon.
Add Some Coconut: Fold shredded coconut into the batter and garnish the finished cake with toasted coconut for a tropical twist.
White Chocolate: Add white chocolate chips to the batter for extra richness. You may even add some on top of the frosting if you wish, to.
Gluten-Free Cake: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend that contains xanthan gum.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake

Here are all of the steps needed to make this lemon blueberry cake as well as the homemade lemon frosting. Ensure that you set your oven to 350 degrees F so it can preheat while you prepare the batter. I also recommend that you grease a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with more cake ingredients in bowls on the side.

Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until they are smooth. It will take about 2-3 minutes.

Yogurt and vanilla are added to the batter in a mixing bowl with bowls of other ingredients to the side.

Step 2: Add eggs and wet ingredients. Continue mixing while adding the eggs. Once they are fully mixed, add the yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

A bowl of batter on a marble countertop with flour added to the bowl but not mixed in.

Step 3: Incorporate dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to the batter. Mix until it is smooth and free of clumps.

Fresh blueberries added to the bowl of cake batter.

Step 4: Add the blueberries. Fold the blueberries into the cake batter.

A rectangular baking pan filled with raw cake batter on a marble countertop.

Step 5: Transfer and bake. Carefully pour it into the prepared baking dish. Ensure it is even. Then, put it into the oven and bake it for 45 minutes.

A rectangular golden-brown cake with scattered dark spots sits in a baking tray on a white marble surface.

Step 6: Cool. Leave the cake on top of the oven or the counter to cool for at least 45 minutes or until it is no longer hot to the touch.

White frosting is added to the cake in the baking pan.

Step 7: Frost the cake. Once the cake is cooled, combine the butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a separate medium bowl. Whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the top of the lemon and blueberry cake.

A spatula holds a square piece of frosted cake above a pan of similarly cut frosted cake pieces.

Step 8: Serve. Slice and enjoy!

Hint: The cake is ready when the edges are slightly browned and the middle is no longer jiggly.

If you love baking blueberry cakes you've got to try my enjoy Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake next!

A slice of vanilla cake with blueberries and frosting being lifted from a baking pan.

Storage

Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: I love to freeze leftover pieces to enjoy later on. Remove the squares to a parchment-lined baking tray and freeze for an hour or so. Once they're frozen you can wrap each piece individually and store it in a container or plastic freezer bag. They will remain fresh for up to one month. When ready to enjoy remove from the freezer and let sit for an hour or so to thaw.
Make Ahead: Bake the cake and once cooled wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will last in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it at room temperature and make and add the frosting before you serve it.

Serving Suggestions

Use Blueberry Syrup or Fresh Pineapple Syrup as a cake soak and brush it onto the cake before the frosting. This will add more flavor and moisture to the finished blueberry cake.
Enjoy a slice of cake with a hot beverage like a McDonald’s Caramel Mocha or a cold Berry Smoothie.
Get a little fancy and pair it with a cup of Kahlua Hot Chocolate for an alcoholic option.

A slice of blueberry cake with frosting, garnished with fresh blueberries, on a plate.

Recipe Tips

Want more lemon flavor? For a stronger lemon flavor, add zest to the batter, frosting, or both.
Don’t frost the cake until cooled. Ensure the cake is completely cooled before adding the frosting so it doesn’t melt.
Mixing the cake. Make sure to mix just to combine all the ingredients once you add the flour to the wet ingredients. Over-mixing may cause the cake to toughen up.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen blueberries?

You may, but it changes the texture of the cake because of the added moisture so I don't usually recommend them. Fresh blueberries really work best but if you choose frozen, don’t thaw them before use so they don’t bleed into the cake.

Can I enjoy this cake unfrosted?

I love the frosting but if you want to skip it, the cake works great alone too! Dust it with a bit of powdered sugar for serving.

How do I know when my cake is done?

You can use visual clues such as the batter doesn't jiggle and it's browned on top but I usually use the toothpick test to make sure. Simply insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and if it comes out mostly clean, the cake is done. Don't worry if you see a few loose crumbs that's ok but you don't want to see any liquid batter or large amounts clinging to the toothpick.

A piece of cake on a plate with a basket of lemons in the corner and some slices on the counter with fresh blueberries.

More Delicious Cake Recipes

Do you like baking homemade cakes? Here are some of my favorite recipes you may also like to try!

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.