Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

Recipe by Catherine Pla, adapted from Broma Bakery

Serves 8-10

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

This lemon-scented cake studded with blueberries will quickly become your summer favorite for a showstopper dessert.

Cake

• 2 2⁄3 c all-purpose flour

• 21⁄2 t baking powder

• 1⁄2 t baking soda

• 1⁄2 t kosher salt

• 11⁄2 c granulated sugar

• Zest of one lemon

• 1⁄2 c olive oil or avocado oil (or other neutral oil)

• 1⁄2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 4 eggs, at room temperature

• 1 t pure lemon oil or extract

• 1 t vanilla bean paste or extract

• 11⁄3 c buttermilk

• 2 c fresh blueberries

Frosting

• 1⁄2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• 31⁄2 c confectioner’s sugar

• 1 t vanilla bean paste or extract

• 1⁄2 t lemon oil or extract

• Zest of half a lemon

• Pinch salt

• 1-2 T heavy cream or milk

Grease and flour 3 6-inch cake pans (or 2 8-inch cake pans). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers to release the oils in the zest. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter and oil and beat on medium high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar, then beat on high speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to incorporate each before adding in the next. Add in the lemon oil and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed between additions. Beat the batter on high for 3 minutes.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk in 3 batches, ending with the dry ingredients. Try not to over mix, a few lumps are ok. Fold in the blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your pans, until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. If the cake begins to brown too much, tent with foil halfway through bake time. Cool completely on a wire rack, then unmold.

Prepare the frosting by beating together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, lower the speed, and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla, lemon oil, salt, and zest. Beat on high speed until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Check consistency.

If it’s too thick, beat in cream or milk one tablespoon at a time. Drizzle over cooled cake. If you made 3 6” cakes, you’ll have a three layer cake. If you’ve made 8” layers, you can either make a thickly frosted 2 layer cake, or a more thinly frosted 4 layer cake. If you prefer 4 layers, divide the 2 8” cakes in half to make 4 layers. Score all the way around the sides evenly using a serrated knife then carefully cut all the way through.

Place the first layer on a cake plate or stand, top with a portion of frosting. Layer second, third, and maybe fourth layers, frosting the same amount between each. Frost the top. For a naked cake, use a spatula to scrape off excess frosting on the sides. Decorate with blueberries and edible flowers.