This sweet and tart Lemon Blackberry Cake is the perfect ending to your Summer celebrations, or anytime you're craving something sweet and fruity!
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This Lemon Blackberry Cake has two layers of tender lemon cake paired with blackberry frosting for a cake that's as delicious as it is pretty!
If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like to check out the recipes for my Lemon Lavender Cake, Blackberry Muffins, and Blackberry Lemon Bread!
Ingredients
Here's everything you need to whip up this gorgeous cake! Measurements for each of the ingredients are listed in the recipe card, below.
Lemon Cake Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour - Provides structure and moisture for the cake.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda - Provide leavening for the cake.
- Salt - Helps to balance and enhance the flavor of the cake.
- Granulated Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the cake soft and moist.
- Lemon Zest - For flavor. You want to use only the yellow part of the rind, and not the white pith underneath, as it's bitter!
- Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. Unsalted butter so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want your butter to be softened.
- Eggs - Provide the cake with structure, additional leavening, and a little richness. Your eggs should be at room temperature.
- Lemon Oil - For a punch of lemon flavor without adding much liquid! If you'd like, you can substitute with a teaspoon of lemon extract.
- Lemon Juice - For flavor, and reacts with the baking soda and baking powder for a bit more rise to your cake!
- Milk - For flavor, richness, and moisture. You want your milk to be at room temperature. I used whole milk.
Blackberry Frosting Ingredients
- Blackberries - For flavor and gorgeous color.
- Granulated Sugar - For sweetness and to help the blackberries release their juices.
- Lemon Juice - To brighten the flavor of the blackberries. If you'd like more lemon flavor, you can also add some lemon zest.
- Unsalted Butter - For smooth richness. Unsalted butter so that your buttercream doesn't taste salty. You want your butter to be softened.
- Powdered Sugar - For sweetness, and because it dissolves completely, giving your frosting a smooth, creamy texture. I sift my powdered sugar so that the buttercream doesn't have any lumps.
Instructions
Here are some photos to help you see each step in the process of making this cake! This section is meant only as an overview--see the recipe card, below, for full detailed instructions.
How to Make Lemon Cake
- Combine the sugar and lemon zest, then run the mixer on low to allow the oils from the lemon to infuse the sugar.
- Add the butter beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, lemon oil, and lemon juice.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk, taking care not to overmix. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. *See recipe card, below, for full baking instructions.*
How to Make Blackberry Frosting
- Combine blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Cook until the blackberries break down and give off their juice, then strain the blackberries to remove the pulp and seeds. Return the juice to the pan and reduce.
- Beat the butter until smooth, then gradually add the powdered sugar.
- Gradually add the blackberry reduction and mix to incorporate. *For full instructions, see recipe card, below.*
Equipment
Here are a few things that I used when making this recipe:
- Citrus Zester - Most people already have a grater in their kitchen, but the one linked here is my favorite for zesting citrus.
- Kitchen Scale - You can just eyeball it, but a scale will help to ensure you have the same amount of batter in each pan.
- 8-inch Round Cake Pans - This recipe is written for an 8-inch 2-layer cake. I suggest using pans that are light in color to avoid overbaking the cakes (as darker pans bake the cake faster).
- Fine Mesh Strainer - This tool makes it easy to separate the blackberry juice from the pulp/seeds!
- Offset Spatula - Not a necessity, but very handy to spread the frosting while keeping your fingers out of the way!
Storage
If you'd like to make the cakes in advance, you can bake them the day before, wrap them well, and leave them on your counter to frost the next day. Storing the unfrosted cakes in the refrigerator may dry them out. For longer-term storage, make sure that the cakes are completely cool, wrap tightly, and you can freeze them for up to three months. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then frost.
Once the cake is frosted, I store mine in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to five days. Once sliced, I'll press some plastic wrap up against the cut edges of the cake to help it from getting dry. The frosting is quite firm when cold, so take the cake out of the fridge about an hour before you want to serve it.
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Lemon Blackberry Cake
This Lemon Blackberry Cake has two layers of tender lemon cake paired with blackberry frosting for a cake that's as delicious as it is pretty!
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 3 Tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon lemon oil (see note)
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅔ cup milk, at room temperature (I used whole milk)
Blackberry Frosting
- 1 ½ cups blackberries
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
For Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients and set aside.2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Be sure to only include the yellow part of the rind, and not the white pith underneath, as it is bitter. Run the mixer on low for a few minutes to allow the oils from the lemon to infuse the sugar.1¼ cups sugar, 3 Tablespoons lemon zest
- Add the butter and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, at least three minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- Add the eggs one at a time, allowing the first egg to incorporate before adding the second. Add the lemon oil (see note) and lemon juice and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.2 eggs, at room temperature, ½ teaspoon lemon oil, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk: with the mixer on low, gradually add half the dry ingredients, followed by the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated, taking care not to overmix.⅔ cup milk, at room temperature
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans (a kitchen scale helps with this; see note). Bake until lightly golden on the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs attached, 23-25 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool at least ten minutes in the pans before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If you'd like to make the cakes in advance, you can bake them the day before, wrap them well, and leave them on your counter to frost the next day. Storing the unfrosted cakes in the refrigerator may dry them out. For longer-term storage, make sure that the cakes are completely cool, wrap tightly, and you can freeze them for up to three months. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then frost.
For Frosting
- Combine blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the blackberries break down and give off their juice, about 5 minutes.1 ½ cups blackberries, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Strain the blackberries in a fine mesh strainer (see note), keeping the juice and discarding the skins/seeds. Pour the blackberry juice back into the saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. (I started off with ½ cup of blackberry juice, and reduced it to ¼ cup). Make sure to stir it often as it cooks so that it doesn't stick to the pan or scorch as it thickens. Allow the blackberry reduction to cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Gradually add the blackberry reduction (should be about ¼ cup) and mix to incorporate.2 cups unsalted butter, softened, 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- If not using the frosting immediately, place it in an airtight container and it will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. You'll have to take the frosting out of the fridge to warm up for it to be a spreadable/pipeable consistency. If necessary, the frosting can be re-whipped to a smooth consistency.
- Frost the cooled cake layers with the frosting, and top with fresh blackberries and lemon slices, if desired.
- The frosted cake will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator. I press plastic wrap up against the cut edges of the cake to help it from getting dry. The frosting is quite firm when cold, so take the cake out of the fridge about an hour before you want to serve it.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on lemon oil: For a punch of lemon flavor without adding much liquid! If you'd like, you can substitute with one teaspoon lemon extract.
Note on cake pans: This recipe is written for an 8-inch two-layer cake. I suggest using pans that are light in color to avoid overbaking the cakes (as darker pans bake the cake faster).
Note on kitchen scale: You can just eyeball it, but a scale will help to ensure you have the same amount of batter in each pan.
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 797kcalCarbohydrates: 102gProtein: 4gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 214mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 2gSugar: 83gVitamin A: 1396IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
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