This Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Cream Cake Recipe is a light and elegant dessert, which includes fresh blueberries and mascarpone cream. It’s a classic, foolproof recipe, ready in just 50 minutes.
Jump to RecipeIna Garten Blueberry Lemon Cream Cake Ingredients
For the Lemon Cake Layers:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Mascarpone Cream Filling:
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping/Filling:
- 2 cups fresh blueberries (plus more for garnish)
- Lemon zest, for garnish
- Optional: powdered sugar for dusting

How To Make Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Cream Cake
- Prep the oven and pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Mix in eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Alternate dry mix and buttermilk: Add dry mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk, starting and ending with dry. Mix until just combined.
- Bake: Divide batter between pans. Bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then on wire racks.
- Make mascarpone cream: Whip mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Don’t overbeat.
- Assemble cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half the mascarpone cream, top with half the blueberries. Add second cake layer, repeat with cream and berries.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle lemon zest on top and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Chill 30–60 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Tips
-
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes, but thaw and pat dry to prevent excess moisture. -
How do I prevent a dense cake?
Don’t overmix the batter once flour is added. -
Can I make the cake ahead of time?
Yes, bake layers a day ahead, wrap tightly, and refrigerate. Assemble with cream and berries just before serving. -
What can I substitute for mascarpone?
Use cream cheese whipped with heavy cream as a backup. -
How to keep blueberries from sinking?
Toss them in a little flour before adding as a filling.
What To Serve With Blueberry Lemon Cream Cake
This fresh, citrusy cake pairs beautifully with:
- Iced tea or lemonade
- Fresh berry salad
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
- Espresso or cappuccino

How To Store Blueberry Lemon Cream Cake
Refrigerate: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to 2 months. Thaw and assemble with cream and berries before serving.
Blueberry Lemon Cream Cake Nutrition (Estimated Per Slice)
- Calories: ~430
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Protein: 7g
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 32g
Nutrition info is estimated and may vary based on ingredients used.
FAQs
Can I bake this as a sheet cake instead?
Yes, use a 9×13-inch pan and adjust baking time to 35–40 minutes.
Can I use Meyer lemons instead of regular lemons?
Yes, they add a sweeter, floral flavor.
How do I prevent overwhipped mascarpone cream?
Stop mixing once soft peaks form—overwhipping can cause it to curdle.
Can I add raspberries or blackberries?
Yes, you can mix or swap berries for variety.
Do I need to chill the cake before serving?
Yes, chilling helps the cream set and makes slicing easier.
Try More Recipes:
- Ina Garten Peach Raspberry Crisp Recipe
- Ina Garten Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
- Ina Garten Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe
Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Cream Cake Recipe
Course: DessertsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8-10
servings20
minutes30
minutes430
kcalA light lemon cake layered with mascarpone cream and fresh blueberries, topped with lemon zest for a refreshing, elegant dessert.
Ingredients
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2½ cups flour
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2½ tsp baking powder
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½ tsp baking soda
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½ tsp salt
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1 cup butter
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1½ cups sugar
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4 eggs
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1 tbsp lemon zest
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¼ cup lemon juice
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1 tsp vanilla
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1 cup buttermilk
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8 oz mascarpone
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1½ cups heavy cream
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¼ cup powdered sugar
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1 tsp vanilla
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2 cups blueberries
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Lemon zest (for garnish)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare pans.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
- Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, lemon zest, juice, vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, cool completely.
- Whip mascarpone, cream, sugar, vanilla until soft peaks.
- Layer cake with cream and blueberries.
- Garnish with lemon zest and powdered sugar. Chill before serving.
