Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake
Zesty, bright lemon and blueberries strewn throughout a light, moist vanilla cake that gets doused with a gloriously simple blueberry glaze.
It feels fitting to wrap up this entry-to-spring dinner party with a full-circle flavor profile moment. Remember the Berry & Bloom gin cocktail? This is its dessert cousin and equivalent in both flavor and beauty.
A simple vanilla cake at its base, the addition of lemon zest, lemon juice, and tangy greek yogurt add vibrancy to the cake, which pairs perfectly with the little pops of sweet and tart blueberries baked throughout.
After baking, the entire cake gets brushed with lemon simple syrup to add extra moisture and lemon flavor. Then, after cooling, we finish it with a striking blueberry glaze (only 3 ingredients) that makes this cake irresistible.
It’s total tea party vibes, and everyone will love getting served a piece of this beauty to finish off a light and bright spring-inspired dinner party.
Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
Cake
2 cups all purpose flour 240g
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1¼ cups granulated sugar 250g
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup Greek yogurt (full fat), room temperature 227g
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola, grapeseed) 99g
¼ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 cup blueberries 160g
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Syrup
1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/3 cup granulated sugar 67g
Blueberry Glaze
½ cup blueberries 80g
1½ cups powdered sugar 180g
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and line an 8 ½ x 4 ½” loaf pan with a sling of parchment paper (hanging over the long sides).
Whisk together the 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and set aside.
In another bowl, rub together the 1¼ cups granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon zest until lightly yellow and fragrant. Add the 3 eggs, 1 cup greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup neutral oil, and ¼ cup lemon juice and whisk until smooth.
Pour in the whisked dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together until almost combined, but there’s still some dry spots.
Toss the 1 cup blueberries in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, then very gently fold them into the batter until evenly distributed and the remaining flour is incorporated.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly, then bake in the center rack for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs (but no wet batter).
Add the lemon syrup (instructions below), then cool for 10 minutes before using the parchment paper slings to remove the loaf and place it on a cooling rack.
Lemon Syrup
While the loaf bakes, set a small pot over medium low heat and mix together the ⅓ cup lemon juice and ⅓ cup granulated sugar until dissolved.
Drizzle or brush it all over the top of the hot cake so it absorbs.
Blueberry Glaze
Add the ½ cup blueberries with a small splash of water to a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the juices begin to release and the blueberries start to break down. Use a spatula to smash them up as they cook.
Pass the cooked blueberries through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and allow it to cool.
Stir in the 1½ cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. If it’s very pasty, stir in 1 teaspoon of water until it’s a thick but flowing consistency. It may not need any water, or it may need more than 1 teaspoon!
Pour the glaze down the middle of the loaf cake and push it gently to the edges.
Let the glaze set slightly before slicing and serving.
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Swaps & Subs
Flour - I made this with Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 gluten free flour blend for the actual dinner party and it turned out great.
Greek yogurt - buttermilk or sour cream. Use full fat if you can.
Oil - any neutral oil will work (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, avocado).
Blueberries - you can totally use frozen blueberries both in the cake and the glaze. No need to thaw!
Pan size - you can use a 9x5” loaf pan instead. The loaf will be shorter and you’ll need to start checking for doneness at the 40 minute mark.
Tips!
Don’t skip the parchment paper sling to easily remove the loaf. We need to remove it from the pan so it doesn’t overcook.
Only mix in the flour until it’s just incorporated. Overmixing can cause to a rubbery final result.
If the cake is browning too quickly before it’s done, gently place a piece of foil on top.
Bake the cake smack in the middle of the oven.
We want the blueberry glaze to remain thick so it doesn’t all fall down the sides of the cake. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add 1 more teaspoon of water and mix again.
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