184. Lemon and blueberry cheesecake layer cake with lemony cream cheese frosting inspired by friendship
Recipe for the ultimate Birthday cake, Mother's day cake, or 'Just because' cake!
Luxe baking is now in session.
This dessert is ideal for a celebration, any celebration. A welcome delight to usher in spring and summer, perfect for every special occasion.
This Substack handle is ‘Just really good recipes’ and, this recipe is standing tall representing!
It is a glorious layered lemon cake dotted with blueberries featuring a spell-binding luxurious middle layer of rich blueberry cheesecake. The whole cake is enveloped in a tangy lemon cream cheese based frosting. Every bite is truly heavenly. Sinful never tasted so good!
This recipe is inspired by my friend, my neighbour, it is her recipe. I originally tasted this glorious cake a few years ago. My neighbour baked it for my birthday, I can’t rave enough about how lovely this woman is, she checks all the ‘fabulous human being’ boxes. Of course, I asked for her recipe, and she took the time to hand write it on proper premium stock recipe cards. I have since shared the recipe with several friends, and no I did not hand write recipe cards for them - I don’t check as many boxes as my gorgeous neighbour, I just texted them photos of the recipe cards. Everyone that has since made this cake did so with delightful success.
Did you know that if you hit the ❤️ at the top or bottom of this post, it makes it easier for people to find us all at Just really good recipes!
The only changes I made to the original recipe was for the benefit of the ‘Just really good recipes’ Substack readers. I included both the original recipe’s US/imperial quantities, with my ‘calculated’ metric measurements as much as possible - this is not a natural thing for me to do so, my lovely metric friends you have been put on notice! The original recipe is in imperial (US), so this is the recipe I follow when I make this cake. I have also tried to elaborate on some steps so that the recipe very clear and easier to follow. Do read the recipe through at least once before beginning.
I found the handy conversion chart below online. There is also a website thecalculatorsite.com which is very handy when converting US (imperial) measurements to metric, I used this site for this recipe.
It is worth noting, all my friends that made this cake said it isn’t a simple quick bake! This cake is not at all a ‘quickie’, it takes time, and some effort (but, so so worth it!). You can make the cake layers and cheesecake layer a day ahead (I do this). The layers need to be cooled completely to room temperature then refrigerated for optimal results. Cover each layer (that has cooled to room temperature) in plastic before placing in the fridge overnight (or for a couple hours prior to assembly). The next day, simply make the icing, assemble the cake, and serve.
This recipe is for an event, it takes some time, so as I mentioned earlier, do read the recipe once over or twice even then, follow the recipe, and enjoy the process. Your patience will be rewarded with a beautiful cake that is simply out of this world. I will boldly proclaim that I think this cake would win most baking competitions (especially if I am the head judge - lemon and blueberry is a match made in heaven in my book!).
I did not change her original recipe as baking is an unforgiving art, and science. Attempting to break and rewrite baking rules is not at all up my alley. This Substack handle is titled ‘Just really good recipes’, and this stunner of a cake is certainly a really good recipe!
Ingredients
Blueberry Cheesecake
3⁄4 cup (190 g) fresh blueberries - if you can find wild use those!
16 oz. (454 g) cream cheese at room temperature - 2 (8 oz) brick pkgs - I used Philadelphia brand cream cheese
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar (I like using extra fine sugar)
2 Tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 tsp (7.4 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
1/4 cup (85 g) sour cream
1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
Lemon Blueberry Cake
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp (15 g) corn starch
1⁄4 tsp (1.5 g) salt
2 tsp (9.6 grams) baking powder
2/3 cup (151 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup (200 g) and then 1/3 cups (65 g) granulated sugar (I like using extra fine)
2 eggs + 1 egg white
1 1⁄2 tsp (7.4 ml) vanilla extract
2 tsp (4 g) lemon zest
1⁄2 cup (118 ml) milk
3 Tbsp (44 ml) lemon juice
1 1⁄2 cups (330ish g) fresh blueberries - do your best to use fresh (if using frozen do not thaw or they will be mushy, and the colour will bleed) - if wild blueberries are available use those!
3–4 tsp (7.8 - 10.4 g) of flour - to lightly coat the blueberries
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz (340 g) full-fat brick style cream cheese - softened to room temperature
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter-softened
1⁄4 tsp (1.5 g) salt
3 1⁄2 – 4 1⁄2 cups (703 g - 903 g) powdered sugar - icing sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
1 Tbsp (15 g) lemon zest
Garnish
lemon wedges
fresh blueberries - I try to use wild blueberries whenever possible
Instructions - please read thoroughly before beginning -
Blueberry Cheesecake - you will need an 8 inch (20 cm) metal springform pan, and a roasting pan large enough so that the springform pan can be placed in it.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease 8-inch (20 cm) metal springform pan, and line the bottom with a fitted (cut specially to fit the bottom or base of your springform pan) piece of parchment paper. Wrap your springform pan in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent any water from leaking in during the baking in a water bath. The spring form pan is going to immersed and surrounded by water!
To make the cheesecake, pulse the blueberries and cream cheese in a food processor, then transfer the mixture in a mixing bowl.
Add sugar and flour, and beat until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Add eggs, one at the time mixing after each addition just to combine, do not over mix.
Finally mix in the sour cream and heavy cream. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan, and smooth over the top.
Place the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour boiling water in the roasting pan until the water level is halfway up the side of the springform pan, and be sure sure no water drips on the batter. Bake 40-45 minutes or until the center has set - use a cake tester or toothpick, the middle should not be at all runny.
Remove springform pan from water bath, then gently run a thin knife (not serrated) around the edge of the cake. Cool to room temperature - then place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to cool completely.
Lemon Blueberry Cake: You will need 3 mixing bowls plus one bowl for the blueberries, then you will combine their contents.
Preheat your oven to 350 F (177 C), butter and lightly flour two 8 inch (20 cm) round cake metal pans, and line the bottoms with fitted parchment paper circles (cut the parchment paper to fit the bottom of the metal pans). Remember we bake in metal, and cook in glass!
In the first bowl, sift together the 2 cups (240 g) flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In the second bowl, stir together milk, and lemon juice, and set aside to curdle.
In the third bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until quite pale in colour and fluffy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture. Add the vanilla extract then lemon zest keep mixing. Set aside.
Mixing up the cake - To the butter mixture, first add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add half of the milk mixture, then 1/3 of the flour mixture, then remaining milk mixture, finish with the flour mixture. Mix to combine after each addition, but do not over mix. Be sure you have combined the contents all 3 bowls.
In a small bowl, carefully toss the blueberries with flour to dust them, then gently fold blueberries into the batter being careful not to break the berries. You are not mixing here, just a gentle fold.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the top and bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick or cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling to room temperature. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight - be sure to wrap the cakes in plastic so they don’t dry out in the fridge.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Mix the butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until no lumps remain.
Add vanilla, salt and lemon zest, mix until combined.
Gradually add the powdered sugar (icing sugar) until the desired sweetness and thickness is reached. Scrape down the sides of the
bowl and beat until silky smooth.
Assembling the Cake:
Place one layer of cake onto serving plate and top with a layer of lemon cream cheese frosting. Place blueberry cheesecake layer and top with a layer of frosting. Finally, top with second cake layer and frost cake with remaining frosting. Decorate with lemon wedges and fresh blueberries if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart when you cut.
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Did you know that if you hit the ❤️ at the top or bottom of this post, it makes it easier for people to find us all at Just really good recipes!
Serve and enjoy!
Sounds devine .
this has wowed me and I haven't even tasted it yet!!