This blackberry lemon cake is bright and full of tangy citrus and juicy berries. Our easy lemon blackberry cake is made with fresh lemon zest, fresh lemon juice and buttermilk This cake is incredibly tender and full of lemon flavor. Whether you are serving this cake for a summer get together, brunch or making a special treat for yourself, this cake is sure to impress.
If you love baking with fresh citrus, be sure to check out our fan favorite Lemon Blueberry Cookies or our light and citrusy Lemon Raspberry Cake.
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- this tender lemon cake is filled with fresh lemon flavor - perfect for summertime baking
- mix this batter up in no time at all - you can have this refreshing, citrus filled cake on the table in less than two hours
- our moist lemon blackberry cake recipe is the perfect single layer cake - simple to make and delicious served with a homemade lemon whipped cream and fresh berries -it's fancy without being fussy!
🍫 Ingredient Notes
- fresh lemons - you'll want to choose 4-5 ripe and brightly colored lemons for this recipe - you'll use the lemons for both the fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice used to make both the cake and the lemon glaze
- unsalted butter - I prefer to bake with unsalted butter - if you have salted butter, reduce the salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon
- blackberries - choose fresh, plump blackberries - rinse and dry the berries before adding them to the cake
- buttermilk - adds moisture and flavor to the cake
- all purpose flour - flour should be sifted before adding to the cake batter, this will help to keep the cake light and fluffy
🍋 Variations
Swap Out the Berries - replace the blackberries with one cup of fresh raspberries, blueberries or sliced strawberries.
Lemon Cake - omit the berries and bake a simple and fresh lemon cake
🧈 Substitutions
buttermilk - you can use whole milk in place of the buttermilk or a combination of greek yogurt (½ cup) along with ¾ cup of whole milk
Baking Pans
Citrus Twist Cake Pan - I chose to bake this incredible lemon blackberry cake in a beautiful Citrus Twist Pan from Nordic Ware. It's beautiful and perfect for making this recipe. This pan has an 8 cup capacity. If you don't have this same pan, or don't want to buy a new pan, there are a few alternatives that will work very well for this recipe.
9-Inch Cake Pan - a 9-inch cake pan that is two inches deep will hold 8 cups of batter and will bake up a beautiful lemon cake.
9-inch Springform Cake Pan - you can also use a 9-inch springform pan for making this recipe. If you are in need of a new baking pan, I absolutely love these Gold Touch Springform Pans from Williams Sonoma.
🥣 Instructions
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Stop the mixer and add the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix until the eggs are well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar. Mix until just barely combined.
Add the lemon juice and buttermilk to the cake batter. Mix until just combined.
Spread half of the batter on the bottom of your cake pan. Arrange the blackberries in a single layer.
Cover the blackberries with the remaining cake batter. Bake the cake at 350° for 55-60 minutes.
In a small saucepan, warm the lemon juice and sugar over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled cake. Serve the lemon blackberry cake with fresh shipped cream and berries.
🤓 Expert Tips
Use a cooking spray specifically for baking - I love using PAM Baking spray for making cakes. It's a cooking spray combine with flour that reaches every nook and cranny of your baking pan. Finished cakes literally slip out of the baking pan when you use this spray.
Place your cake pan on a sheet pan before baking - It is very unlikely that this cake will bake over the top of the pan but I always like to arrange my cake pan on a larger baking sheet just in case.
Frequently Asked Questions
I highly recommend fresh berries for this recipe! Frozen berries can become soggy and will turn your batter purple. Fresh blackberries maintain their shape through the baking process and are recommended for this recipe.
Absolutely! This cake would be delicious with fresh blueberries, strawberries or raspberries. Choose your fresh berry and arrange one cup of berries in the middle of the cake as described in the recipe.
Whole milk is an excellent substitute for the buttermilk in this recipe. If you want to use a combination of yogurt and milk, I recommend ½ cup yogurt and ¾ cups of whole milk.
Storage
Lemon Blackberry Cake is best eaten on the same day that it is baked. If you have leftovers, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Allow the cake to warm to room temperature before enjoying if it has been in the refrigerator.
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Lemon Blackberry Cake with Fresh Citrus and Buttermilk
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup lemon juice juice of 2 lemons, strained
- 1 cup blackberries fresh and chilled
For the Glaze:
- ¼ cup lemon juice juice of two lemons, strained
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9 inch cake pan or springform pan by coating with melted butter and flour or use a non-stick baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Using your stand mixer and the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Mix on medium low speed until the mixture is smooth and comes together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until just barely combined.
- Add the lemon juice and buttermilk to the cake batter. Mix on low until the batter is just comes together. Be careful not to over mix.
- Layer half of the lemon cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Arrange the blackberries in a single layer around the cake pan.
- Cover the blackberries with the remaining cake batter.
- Bake the cake at 350° for 55-60 minutes. You can test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean (no batter can be seen) then your cake has finished baking.
- Remove the cake from the oven and move to a wire cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
- Once the cake is completely cool, remove the cake from the pan and move to a serving platter for glazing.
For the Lemon Glaze
- In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice and sugar.
- Cook over medium heat until all of the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Spoon or pour the warm lemon glaze over the top of the cake. Allow the glaze to set up for 30-45 minutes before serving.
Britt says
This cake was amazing! Can't wait to have it again.