Best Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake

Name: Best Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 226g unsalted butter- room temperature (2 sticks); 340g granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups); 2 large eggs- room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 teaspoons lemon zest; 305g all-purpose flour- divided (2 1/2 cups); 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 236g whole milk- room temperature (1 cup); 20 grams lemon juice (2 tablespoons); 200g blueberries (1 cup); 170g cold cream cheese (6 ounces); 57g room temperature butter (2 ounces); 1 tablespoon lemon zest; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 200g powdered sugar (1 3/4 cups); pinch of salt

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This Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake is the absolute BEST! A moist, tender lemon flavored cake is dotted with fresh, juicy blueberries, and topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting. It's a super simple cake you can make in no time in just one bowl, and it is perfect for all your summer entertaining!

lemon blueberry sheet cake decorated with blueberries and lemon slices.

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Why This Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake Is The Best!
Key Ingredients You'll Need
Step-By-Step Instructions For Baking The Cake
How To Make The Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
Expert Baking Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Storing and Freezing Instructions
A quick note about baking in grams...
More Recipes You May Like!
Did you make this recipe?
Best Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake

Oh my goodness, this lemon blueberry sheet cake is out of this world delicious! Similar to these cookies, moist, tender cake is flavored with lemon and a speckled with ripe, juicy blueberries.

This is a super duper simple recipe, that can be made in just one bowl, and takes 10 minutes to prepare. Once the cake is baked and cooled, whip up the lemon cream cheese frosting, slather it allllll over the top, and you've got yourself a winning dessert.

Serve this recipe alongside these patriotic cupcakes all summer long for backyard BBQs, Sunday brunch, or even fun holiday picnics! It's easy enough for you to make with the kids, yet delicious enough to share with company.

If cake isn't really your speed, try these incredible Copycat Starbucks Blueberry Muffins! Or if chocolate sounds good instead, give these brownies with cream cheese frosting a try!

Why This Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake Is The Best!

It's super simple to make
There's no need for a stand mixer
The cake is moist, tender, and has the softest crumb texture
It's full of lemon flavor with juicy bursts of fresh blueberries
The lemon cream cheese frosting is quite literally, the icing on the cake. (you could easily eat it by the spoonful!)
This sheet cake is perfect for summer parties, brunch, or just fun to make for a weekend bake

Key Ingredients You'll Need

*full ingredients list and measurements can be found in recipe card below*

ingredients to make a lemon blueberry sheet cake labeled with tan text boxes.

Butter: I use butter instead of oil in this sheet cake because I prefer the taste and texture it gives. I typically use salted butter, but unsalted also will work.
Sugar: You'll need regular granulated sugar for the cake batter. It easily blends into the butter and adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Eggs: Eggs help form the structure of a cake. They help it rise as well as bind the ingredients together.
Lemon: How could I make a lemon cake without fresh lemon?! You'll need both the zest and the juice in order to extract the most lemon flavor.
Flour: Along with eggs, flour also help to form the structure. I use regular all purpose flour, but you *should* be able to also use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum.
Milk: I prefer to use whole milk when I'm baking cakes because it adds a nice amount of richness. If you don't have whole milk, 2% or almond milk will also work.
Salt: All great baked goods need some salt to balance out the sweetness.
Blueberries: It wouldn't be a lemon BLUEBERRY sheet cake without the blueberries! I only like to use fresh blueberries because frozen can add a bit too much water and the color also bleeds once they're folded into the cake batter.
Cream cheese: You'll need full-fat cream cheese to make the lemon flavored frosting. Here is not the time to use non-fat cream cheese.
Powdered sugar: When making basic frostings, you always want to use powdered sugar because it blends smoothly into the frosting. Granulated will leave a grainy taste that is unpleasant.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Baking The Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a glass 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray

STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) cream together butter and sugar on high until pale in color. About 2 minutes.

STEP THREE: Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest to the butter mixture, and mix on medium speed until well incorporated.

creamed butter and sugar in a glass bowl. — **Cream the butter and sugar**

creamed butter with eggs and lemon zest in a glass bowl. — **Add in eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest**

STEP FOUR: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until there are no traces of flour left.

STEP FIVE: Pour milk and lemon juice into the cake batter, and mix until fully combined.

STEP SIX: In a small mixing bowl, toss the blueberries with 5 grams of flour. Add them to the cake batter, and use a rubber spatula to gently fold them in, taking care not to burst any

lemon flavored sheet cake batter in a glass bowl with a spatula. — **Add in dry ingredients, milk, and lemon juice**

fresh blueberries coated in flour in a gray bowl. — **Coat blueberries in flour**

STEP SEVEN: Pour the lemon blueberry cake batter into your prepared pan, spread it into an even layer, then bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

STEP EIGHT: Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely before spreading on the cream cheese frosting.

batter for lemon sheet cake with blueberries spread into a glass baking dish. — **Spread batter evenly into a greased baking dish**

baked lemon blueberry sheet cake without frosting in a glass baking dish. — **Bake for 30-35 minutes, until baked through**

How To Make The Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

STEP ONE: In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the cold cream cheese and butter. Beat on high until smooth and creamy

STEP TWO: To the butter/cream cheese mixture, add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low until the frosting is smooth and creamy

STEP THREE: To a fully cooled sheet cake, use an offset spatula to evenly spread the frosting over top. Decorate as desired, then serve and enjoy!

creamed butter and cream cheese in a glass bowl. — **Cream butter and cream cheese together**

cream cheese frosting with lemon zest in a glass measuring cup. — **Add in powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice**

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

Make a gluten free lemon blueberry cake by substituting the all purpose flour with an equal amount of gluten free all purpose flour with xanthan gum
Make the cake dairy free by using vegan butter and almond milk. Instead of the cream cheese frosting, you can make a vegan lemon buttercream.
If you don't have blueberries, raspberries or chopped blackberries and strawberries will also work. Just press them lightly with a paper towel to remove excess water!
Substitute the lemon with orange for an orange blueberry sheet cake

Expert Baking Tips

Properly measure all ingredients: This is why I list my new recipes in grams! I know it can be frustrating if you're used to cups, but a scale really is the best way to ensure the highest quality baked goods every time.
Use room temperature ingredients: Using ingredients that are all the same temperature is the best way to make sure you'll get a smooth, silky cake batter.
Don't over mix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, gluten proteins begin forming in the flour and the more you mix, the tougher they become. You want to mix just until there are no traces of flour, or else your cake will be dense and tough.
Proper lemon steps: It's easiest if you zest the lemon before juicing it. If you do juice it first, it's still possible to zest, it's just harder
Let the cake cool completely: Before spread the lemon cream cheese frosting over top of your sheet cake, you'll want to let it cool completely. Otherwise, the frosting will melt and you'll have a glaze (although, that might not be too bad!)

a slice of lemon blueberry sheet cake with cream cheese frosting on a white plate with a black fork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different baking pan?

I like to use a glass 9x13 inch pan. However, if you don't have one, you can use 2, 8 inch round cake pans.
*Keep in mind, the baking time will vary if you change the material and size of the pan.*

Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?

I don't recommend using frozen blueberries because they tend to add water to the batter and the color also bleeds once they're mixed in.

How do I prevent the blueberries from sinking in the cake?

You can prevent blueberries from sinking in a cake by coating them in a little bit of flour before mixing them into the batter!

Can I make this sheet cake gluten free?

I personally haven't tested it, but you should be able to substitute the all purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour that contains xanthan gum.
If possible, I suggest letting the cake batter rest for at least 20 minutes before baking to help hydrate the flour, so that your final product doesn't taste "floury."

Storing and Freezing Instructions

STORING: You can keep any leftovers (with frosting) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you're sheet cake is unfrosted, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

FREEZING: If you choose to freeze this lemon blueberry cake, make sure it is unfrosted. Cream cheese frosting does NOT thaw well.

To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil, and place in a flat layer in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature, add frosting as desired, then enjoy!

an overhead view of lemon sheet cake with blueberries in a baking dish and a piece on the side.

A quick note about baking in grams...

You may notice that most of my newer recipes are given in grams, and that's because it really is the most accurate way to measure and get the best baked good every time.

I try to include cup measurements as well, but I highly suggest ordering a $10 scale, it's really worth it!

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