This blueberry cake gets its natural violet color from freeze dried blueberries. This cake is sure to wow even your most jaded guest
Once upon a time, I made these blueberry-blackberry cupcakes. Three years later, these cupcakes remain a popular post on my blog that continues to bring in comments, likes, and emails.
It’s the first post I wrote where I felt that people (besides my mom, Alex’s mom, and my best friends) were looking at my work.
Asides from my rainbow cake, those blueberry cupcakes have generated the most interaction between me and you.
I received many emails regarding those cupcakes. My favorite came from a mother that sent me photos of the hundred or so blueberry cupcakes she made for her daughter’s wedding.
It’s moments like that, that keep me sharing recipes.
Blueberry Cake
With berry season upon us, I can’t help but take advantage of all fresh berries available. I redid those popular blueberry cakes into a layered cake.
I used the same blueberry cream cheese frosting that is oh so addicting. If I didn’t use all the frosting on the cake, I would totally smear this stuff all over my morning bagel.
Freeze Dried Blueberries:
The secret to this cake is the use of freeze dried blueberries. It provides the frosting with that natural blue-violet hue that is hard to replicate with imitation food coloring.
I used a combination of fresh blueberries and freeze dried blueberries to create the very flavorful blueberry cake.
I love, love, love this cake. I can’t find the words to explain how delicious it tastes. After photographing the cake, I had to wrap up 2/3’s of it to give away.
If left alone with this blueberry cake, who knows how much of it I’ll eat in one sitting. It’s much safer for Alex and me to have only a small amount around.
Less cake means less exercise and cardio- which makes me a whole lot happier.
Blueberry Cake with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Blueberry Cake:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.2 oz package freeze dried blueberries, unsweetened, ground*
- 8 oz unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspon finely grated lemon zest
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 6 oz buttermilk
- 7 oz blueberries, pureed and strained
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, or pure vanilla extract
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz unsalted butter, room temp
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla paste, or pure vanilla extract
- 1.2 oz package freeze dried blueberries, unsweetened, ground*
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Blueberry Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line four 6-inch cake rounds with parchment paper. Lightly butter cake rounds and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and blueberry powder. Set aside.
- Cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add lemon zest. Add eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated.
- In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk, blueberry puree, and vanilla paste.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into creamed butter. Mix until just incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
- Divide batter into prepared cake rounds. Level batter using a mini offset spatula or the back of spoon. Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Blueberry Frosting:
- Cream together butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Scrape down bowl as necessary to ensure mixture is smooth.
- Add vanilla paste, blueberry powder, powdered sugar and salt. Mix until throughly blended and smooth.
Notes
- Use a food processor to grind freeze dried blueberries into a fine powder.
- I used four 6-inch cake pans and sliced each cake into two layers. I didn’t use all the layers. You can also use this recipe to bake in four 8-inch cake pans.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I am a huge fan of blueberry jam cake myself and I love love it lol
Can you clarify for me regarding your responses about the blueberry purée? Your first response to a comment in 2015 says:
MARYANNE CABRERA says:
June 27, 2020
For the cake batter, did you measure the 7oz blueberries before or after straining?
‘It should be 7 oz after puree and straining.”
But a latter response (2020) to a comment you say:
MARYANNE CABRERA says:
August 31, 2015
Hi Samantha, I weighed out 7 oz of fresh blueberries, then pureed and strained it. The batter should feel like another other cupcake/cake batter.
Thanks! The cake looks beautiful!
Hello! What is blueberry powder? I don’t see it on the list of ingredients but you mention it in the instructions for both the blueberry cake and frosting. Am I overlooking something or reading it wrong? TIA!
The blueberry powder is the ground freeze dried blueberries. It is mentioned in the notes at the bottom. However, I will update with further explanation. Thanks for pointing that out!
Hi. I made the cake today and it came out real good . The flavor is amazing so is the butter cream frosting . Only question I have is that mine came out dry and I want it to be more on the moist side. Any suggestions on what I can do to make that happen ? I did not mix it. Please let me know what I can do so for next time I can adjust the recipe .
For the cake batter, did you measure the 7oz blueberries before or after straining? It should be 7 oz after puree and straining.
I want this to be my signature summer cake, however, can you pls provide a variation that uses oil instead of butter? I would also like to cut the gluten with almond flour. The cake is beautiful and delicious but the ingredients are too heavy for my cake audience (yours truly included!). Thanks for your thoughts.
The frosting was amazing.
I replaced the lemon zest with 1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder, to make it more like a velvet cake.
It did not rise at all, I was really surprised, the flavor of the cake was good, but the consistency not so much.
I may try to again with the lemon zest, to see if it makes the difference.
Hi Kelly, I’m sure the cake didn’t rise. The recipe calls for one tablespoon of baking powder. Perhaps the baking powder is past its prime date?
For some reason I’m unable to print the blueberry cake with blueberry cream cheese frosting recipe. I get an error message. Thanks.
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I have fixed it. It should be working now!
This cake looks beautiful! Will the layers freeze well to decorate at another time? Can it be made without fresh blueberries?
I have not tested freezing this cake. No, the recipe requires the use of fresh blueberries. It provides the cake with flavor and moisture.
I want to make a blueberry cake for my daughter’s 7th birthday. Regarding the puree, I am confused. Would I make the puree by cooking the berries in sugar, etc? Or, do I just blend the berries? Thank you.
Puree the blueberries in a food processor or blender and strain.
This is perfect. My son decided he wants a blueberry cake with blueberry frosting for his 4th birthday. I was thinking I’d have to create a recipe. I was even thinking a cream cheese frosting would be nice. Thanks for doing the work for me ;)
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy the recipe. And I hope your son has a wonderful birthday celebration!