This soft lemon and blueberry loaf cake is full of flavor. The lemon makes it fresh and light, and the blueberries give sweet little bursts in every bite. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or with a cup of tea.

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Ingredients Needed:

For the Cake:

½ cup milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, packed (see note)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, do not defrost)
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs

For the Glaze:

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon lemon zest, packed
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

How To Make Lemon And Blueberry Cake Recipe?

Prepare the oven and loaf pan: preheat your oven to 180°C. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with baking paper, then spray again to prevent sticking.
Mix the lemon milk: in a small bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let it sit while you prep the rest. It’ll curdle a bit – that’s totally fine.
Combine dry ingredients: in another bowl, whisk together the flour (reserve 1 tsp), baking soda, and salt. In a separate small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tsp of flour. This helps stop them from sinking.
Cream the butter and sugar: using a mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
Combine everything: with the mixer on low, add a third of the flour mix, then half the lemon milk. Repeat, ending with the last bit of flour. Scrape down the bowl as needed so everything mixes well.
Fold in the berries: add the flour-coated blueberries to the batter. Gently fold them in with a spatula until evenly spread.
Bake the cake: pour the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth the top, then bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and let it cool fully on a rack.
Make the glaze: in a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The glaze should be thick but pourable — like honey. Spoon it over the cooled cake and let it drip down the sides.
Let it set and serve: give the glaze 10 to 15 minutes to set before slicing. Use a serrated knife for clean slices.

Recipe Tips:

Don’t skip the lemon milk step: mixing lemon juice with milk makes it slightly curdle, which helps create a soft and tender cake texture. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before using it.
Coat the blueberries in flour: this small step stops them from sinking to the bottom while baking. It helps keep the berries spread evenly in every slice.
Use room temperature ingredients: cold butter or eggs can mess up the batter. Make sure your butter is soft and eggs aren’t straight from the fridge.
Check your cake early: ovens can bake differently. Start checking at 50 minutes with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s ready.
Wait before glazing: only glaze the cake once it’s fully cooled. If it’s even a little warm, the glaze will melt and slide off instead of sticking nicely on top.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover lemon and blueberry cake cool down completely to room temperature. Once it’s cool, wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: After the cake has cooled, wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap. you can freeze it (without the glaze) for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 305 kcal
Total Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 65mg
Sodium: 95mg
Potassium: 70mg
Total Carbohydrate: 45g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 28g
Protein: 4g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

Nigella Lemon Posset Recipe
Nigella Lemon Curd Recipe

Nigella Lemon And Blueberry Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

Calories

305

kcal

Ingredients

For the Cake:
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, packed (see note)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, do not defrost)
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
For the Glaze:
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon lemon zest, packed
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Prepare the oven and loaf pan: preheat your oven to 180°C. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with baking paper, then spray again to prevent sticking.
Mix the lemon milk: in a small bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let it sit while you prep the rest. It’ll curdle a bit – that’s totally fine.
Combine dry ingredients: in another bowl, whisk together the flour (reserve 1 tsp), baking soda, and salt. In a separate small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tsp of flour. This helps stop them from sinking.
Cream the butter and sugar: using a mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
Combine everything: with the mixer on low, add a third of the flour mix, then half the lemon milk. Repeat, ending with the last bit of flour. Scrape down the bowl as needed so everything mixes well.
Fold in the berries: add the flour-coated blueberries to the batter. Gently fold them in with a spatula until evenly spread.
Bake the cake: pour the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth the top, then bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and let it cool fully on a rack.
Make the glaze: in a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The glaze should be thick but pourable — like honey. Spoon it over the cooled cake and let it drip down the sides.
Let it set and serve: give the glaze 10 to 15 minutes to set before slicing. Use a serrated knife for clean slices.

Notes

Don’t skip the lemon milk step: mixing lemon juice with milk makes it slightly curdle, which helps create a soft and tender cake texture. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before using it.
Coat the blueberries in flour: this small step stops them from sinking to the bottom while baking. It helps keep the berries spread evenly in every slice.
Use room temperature ingredients: cold butter or eggs can mess up the batter. Make sure your butter is soft and eggs aren’t straight from the fridge.
Check your cake early: ovens can bake differently. Start checking at 50 minutes with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s ready.
Wait before glazing: only glaze the cake once it’s fully cooled. If it’s even a little warm, the glaze will melt and slide off instead of sticking nicely on top.