Mary Berry Lemon and Blueberry Cake Recipe

Mary Berry's lemon and blueberry cake has a vivid lemon sponge with blueberries throughout, a lemon cream cheese frosting, and fresh blueberries on top — completely beautiful.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Cooling and Assembly Time 1 30

Total Time 2 25

Servings: 12 Slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 490

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Lemon and Blueberry Sponge:
225 g unsalted butter softened
225 g golden caster sugar
4 large eggs room temperature
225 g self-raising flour sifted — plus 1 tbsp for tossing blueberries
2 tsp baking powder
Finely grated zest of 3 large unwaxed lemons
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp whole milk
250 g fresh or frozen blueberries tossed in 1 tbsp flour
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
250 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
100 g unsalted butter softened
350 g icing sugar sifted twice
Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of fine salt
Decoration:
150 g fresh blueberries
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
Edible flowers optional
Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm tins. Beat butter and sugar 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add lemon zest and juice. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add milk — fold gently. Toss blueberries in 1 tbsp flour — fold through batter with 3–4 gentle strokes. Divide between tins — weigh for even layers. Bake 22–26 minutes. Cool completely.
Beat cream cheese and butter 2–3 minutes until smooth. Add icing sugar in 3 batches. Add lemon zest, juice, vanilla, and salt — beat 1–2 minutes. Do not overbeat.
Place first sponge upside down on plate. Spread half the frosting. Top with second sponge. Spread remaining frosting over the top.
Arrange fresh blueberries over frosted top. Scatter lemon zest. Add edible flowers if using. Dust edges lightly. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Slice.

Notes

Toss blueberries in flour before folding — prevents them sinking to the base during baking.

Use frozen blueberries directly from frozen — defrosted ones bleed and colour the entire batter.

Zest of 3 lemons in the sponge — gives vivid, unmistakable lemon character throughout.

Do not overbeat the cream cheese frosting — it becomes liquid and difficult to reverse.

Lemon juice in the frosting is the contrast that makes the whole cake work — do not reduce it.

Freeze unfrosted sponge layers for up to 3 months.