Refreshing is not normally a word I would use to describe a pound cake, but that is the best way to describe this iced blueberry lemon pound cake.
Iced Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake
This iced blueberry lemon pound cake is one of those perfect for all types of situation cakes. Need a brunch cake? Want a slice with your tea at night? Just an afternoon snack? It’s the answer for all of the above situations. While the cake itself is physically heavy, the inside of the cake is somehow light, airy, and also very moist. The addition of blueberries and lemon juice also keeps the flavors very refreshing, especially in the lemon icing.
I was stuck on a lemony flavor when it came to this cake. I wanted to recreate something similar to a basic lemon pound cake, but with a springtime twist. For some reason, I was stuck on the lemon icing flavor. There’s something about the sweet, sour, tangy combo. When I was looking for some ideas, I came across this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction and her Iced Lemon Pound Cake. The lemon icing was pretty much exactly what I was thinking about, so I knew it would be a good place to start.
Lemons and Blueberries
This cake isn’t very complicated to make. It’s basic quick bread and follows the formula of dry ingredients mixing into the wet batter. The most difficult part of the recipe is probably zesting the lemons, and that really isn’t complicated. Want some lemon zesting advice on that part? Definitely zest the lemons before you juice them. Zesting a floppy lemon is just asking to cut your hand in some capacity.
The blueberries were a natural choice for this cake. Blueberries are a very easy fruit to bake with and pair super well with the lemons. The sweetness plays off the tang of the lemons for a great flavor combo. If you’re not big on blueberries, you could easily swap them out with some strawberries or raspberries. They would also pair well with the lemon and bake up nice in the cake. I haven’t tried it out yet, so if you do, let me know and send over a picture!
Pound Cake Tips
- Like I said above, zest the lemons before juicing them to avoid any cut hands.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the blueberries. This will make them less likely to burst before going into the oven.
- If you want thicker icing, go for the heavy cream. Milk will make it smooth, but it won’t be as thick.
- Let the cake fully cool before putting the icing on. The icing makes a shell but if the cake is still warm it won’t harden fully.
Grab the recipe for this cake below. If you swap out the fruit, let me know how it turns out!
Iced Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake
Course: Dessert, BrunchDifficulty: Easy10
servings30
minutes50
minutesIngredients
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
juice from 1 large lemon
zest of a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 – 1 cup blueberries
- Lemon Icing
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 – 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 -3 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×5 inch loaf pan with grease and parchment. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to mix and set to the side.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the sugar and beat until smooth and the butter looks light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add in the eggs one at a time. Let each egg mix in smoothly and scrape down the bowl again. Add in the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed and mix fully to combine. The mixture may look a little thick and curdled, but don’t worry it will smooth out with the flour.
- Gradually add in the flour in three parts with the buttermilk in between at low speed. Add in the blueberries and fold them into the mixture using a rubber spatula. Be gentle when mixing in the blueberries so they won’t break.
- Add the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes. The top of the cake will be golden brown when ready. Let cool completely on a wire rack when done.
- Make the icing while the cake is cooling. In a medium-sized bowl with a whisk or in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix together the lemon juice, powdered sugar, and heavy cream or milk. Add in more powdered sugar if looking for a sweeter taste. If you want the icing to be thick, add in the additional heavy cream. Adjust it with powdered sugar and heavy cream to get your desired taste and thickness.
- When the cake is completely cool, drizzle icing over the cake to cover. To get a thicker layer on top, multiple layers of the icing may be needed depending on consistency.
- Store the cake in an airtight container for up to one week. The cake can be frozen with or without the icing for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe?! Let me know and share it on Instagram. Tag @crispcrumble and use the hashtag #crispandcrumble.
