This blueberry cake gets its natural violet color from freeze dried blueberries. This cake is sure to wow even your most jaded guest.
This stunning blueberry layer cake achieves its gorgeous natural purple hue without a drop of food coloring. As a professional pastry chef, I’ve spent years perfecting this recipe that combines freeze-dried blueberries for intense color and fresh blueberries for moisture.
The result? A tender, flavorful cake with blueberry cream cheese frosting that’s become one of my most-requested recipes!
Why This Recipe Continues to be a Reader Favorite
Since publishing this recipe’s predecessor years ago, I’ve received countless messages and photos from readers. My favorite came from a mother who made over 100 blueberry cupcakes for her daughter’s wedding using this recipe as her base.
What makes me happiest about this cake is how it brings people together. It’s impressive enough for special occasions but approachable enough that home bakers feel confident tackling it. That’s exactly what I aim for with every recipe I share—professional techniques made accessible.
The natural purple color never fails to wow guests. In an age of artificial everything, serving a cake that gets its stunning hue from real fruit feels special. It’s a conversation starter that also happens to taste incredible.
Ingredient Highlights
For the Blueberry Cake:
The key to success is using freeze-dried blueberries (found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or Amazon) ground into a fine powder. This gives you concentrated blueberry flavor and that signature purple color. Fresh blueberries are pureed and strained to add moisture without creating pockets of fruit that can make the cake soggy.
Buttermilk and a touch of lemon zest keep this cake bright and balanced—a technique I learned in professional pastry kitchens.
For the Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
Equal parts butter and cream cheese create the perfect frosting consistency—sturdy enough for layering but still creamy and spreadable. More freeze-dried blueberry powder ensures the frosting matches the cake’s gorgeous color.
How to Make Blueberry Layer Cake
Step 1: Prepare Your Blueberry Powder
Use a food processor to grind freeze-dried blueberries into a fine powder. This takes about 30 seconds. You’ll need two 1.2 oz packages total—one for the cake, one for the frosting.
Step 2: Make the Blueberry Puree
Blend 7 oz fresh blueberries until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove skins. You should have about 5-6 oz of smooth puree after straining. This step is crucial for a smooth, professional texture.
Step 3: Mix the Cake Batter
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Alternate adding the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, blueberry powder) with the wet ingredients (buttermilk, blueberry puree, vanilla) in three additions, starting and ending with dry.
Pro Tip: Don’t overmix once you add the flour. Mix just until you no longer see streaks—overmixing develops gluten and creates a tough cake.
Step 4: Bake to Perfection
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans (I use four 6-inch rounds for dramatic height, but three 8-inch pans work beautifully too). Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Baker’s Note: Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks. This prevents crumbling.
Step 5: Make the Frosting
Beat softened butter and cream cheese until completely smooth with no lumps. Add blueberry powder, vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed first to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase to medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 6: Assemble and Decorate
Level your cake layers if needed for perfectly flat tops. Place the first layer on your serving plate or cake board, spread with about ¾ cup frosting, and repeat with remaining layers. Use remaining frosting for a simple crumb coat and final coat, or go rustic with a naked cake look.
Decoration Ideas: Top with fresh blueberries, edible flowers, gumpaste/fondant flowers, or leave it simple—the natural purple color speaks for itself.
Tips From a Professional Pastry Chef
Measure Your Blueberry Puree After Straining: You need 7 oz of blueberries to yield about 5-6 oz of strained puree. If you measure before straining, you’ll end up with too little liquid and a dry cake.
Room Temperature Ingredients Are Essential: Cold eggs and butter don’t emulsify properly, leading to a dense cake. Set everything out 30-60 minutes before baking.
Don’t Skip the Lemon Zest: It’s not about making this a lemon cake—the zest brightens the blueberry flavor and cuts through the richness. Think of it as seasoning, not a primary flavor.
Check Your Baking Powder: Old baking powder won’t give you proper rise. Test it by adding ½ teaspoon to hot water—it should bubble vigorously.
Make-Ahead & Storage Notes
Make-Ahead: Bake cake layers up to 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. For best results, may frosting the day you plan to frost and assemble.
Freezing: Unfrosted cake layers freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before assembling.
Storage: Finished cake keeps at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Common Questions
No, fresh blueberries won’t give you the color or concentrated flavor. The freeze-dried blueberries are what make this recipe special. You can find them in the dried fruit section or order online.
Absolutely! This batter makes about 24 cupcakes. Bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes. Check out my original blueberry-blackberry cupcakes for inspiration.
I don’t recommend it for this recipe. Butter provides structure and flavor that oil can’t replicate. The creaming method (beating butter and sugar) is also crucial for the texture.
Baby showers, bridal showers, spring and summer birthdays, Mother’s Day, or any time you want to serve something truly special. I’ve had readers make this for weddings!
Related Berry Recipes
Blueberry Cake with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Blueberry Cake:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (450 g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.2 oz package freeze dried blueberries, ground into a powder*
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227 g), room temp
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar (265 g)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar (135 g), packed
- 1 teaspon finely grated lemon zest
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temp
- 7 oz fresh blueberries, pureed and strained (about 6oz after straining)*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, or pure vanilla extract
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227 g), room temp
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla paste, or pure vanilla extract
- 1.2 oz package freeze dried blueberries, ground to a powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar (480 g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Blueberry Cake:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 6-inch cake rounds (or three 8-inch rounds) with parchment paper. Lightly butter and set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and blueberry powder. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down bowl between additions.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, strained blueberry puree, and vanilla.
- Alternate Mixing: With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until no streaks remain. Do not overmix. Scrape down bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Smooth tops with offset spatula or back of spoon. Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting (about 1 hour)
Blueberry Frosting:
- Beat Butter and Cream Cheese: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth with no lumps. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add vanilla paste, blueberry powder, powdered sugar, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Assemble: If desired, level cake layers with a serrated knife. Place first layer on serving plate or cake board. Spread with about ¾ cup frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Use remaining frosting for crumb coat and final coat, or create a rustic naked cake look. Top with fresh blueberries if desired.
Notes
- To make blueberry powder, pulse freeze-dried blueberries in a food processor for 30 seconds until finely ground. You’ll need two 1.2 oz packages total for this recipe.
- IMPORTANT: Measure blueberries AFTER pureeing and straining, not before. You should have 5-6 oz of smooth puree after removing the skins.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I am a huge fan of blueberry jam cake myself and I love love it lol
Can you clarify for me regarding your responses about the blueberry purée? Your first response to a comment in 2015 says:
MARYANNE CABRERA says:
June 27, 2020
For the cake batter, did you measure the 7oz blueberries before or after straining?
‘It should be 7 oz after puree and straining.”
But a latter response (2020) to a comment you say:
MARYANNE CABRERA says:
August 31, 2015
Hi Samantha, I weighed out 7 oz of fresh blueberries, then pureed and strained it. The batter should feel like another other cupcake/cake batter.
Thanks! The cake looks beautiful!
Hello! What is blueberry powder? I don’t see it on the list of ingredients but you mention it in the instructions for both the blueberry cake and frosting. Am I overlooking something or reading it wrong? TIA!
The blueberry powder is the ground freeze dried blueberries. It is mentioned in the notes at the bottom. However, I will update with further explanation. Thanks for pointing that out!
Hi. I made the cake today and it came out real good . The flavor is amazing so is the butter cream frosting . Only question I have is that mine came out dry and I want it to be more on the moist side. Any suggestions on what I can do to make that happen ? I did not mix it. Please let me know what I can do so for next time I can adjust the recipe .
For the cake batter, did you measure the 7oz blueberries before or after straining? It should be 7 oz after puree and straining.
I want this to be my signature summer cake, however, can you pls provide a variation that uses oil instead of butter? I would also like to cut the gluten with almond flour. The cake is beautiful and delicious but the ingredients are too heavy for my cake audience (yours truly included!). Thanks for your thoughts.
The frosting was amazing.
I replaced the lemon zest with 1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder, to make it more like a velvet cake.
It did not rise at all, I was really surprised, the flavor of the cake was good, but the consistency not so much.
I may try to again with the lemon zest, to see if it makes the difference.
Hi Kelly, I’m sure the cake didn’t rise. The recipe calls for one tablespoon of baking powder. Perhaps the baking powder is past its prime date?
For some reason I’m unable to print the blueberry cake with blueberry cream cheese frosting recipe. I get an error message. Thanks.
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I have fixed it. It should be working now!
This cake looks beautiful! Will the layers freeze well to decorate at another time? Can it be made without fresh blueberries?
I have not tested freezing this cake. No, the recipe requires the use of fresh blueberries. It provides the cake with flavor and moisture.
I want to make a blueberry cake for my daughter’s 7th birthday. Regarding the puree, I am confused. Would I make the puree by cooking the berries in sugar, etc? Or, do I just blend the berries? Thank you.
Puree the blueberries in a food processor or blender and strain.
This is perfect. My son decided he wants a blueberry cake with blueberry frosting for his 4th birthday. I was thinking I’d have to create a recipe. I was even thinking a cream cheese frosting would be nice. Thanks for doing the work for me ;)
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy the recipe. And I hope your son has a wonderful birthday celebration!