Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Jump To Recipe by Lily Ernst on Aug 3, 2021 (updated Mar 20, 2022)

This lovely lemon blueberry pound cake is rich and buttery. It’s loaded with fresh lemon flavor and plump blueberries. It’s the perfect pound cake for any occasion. A slice of lemon blueberry pound cake on a pick plate with dollop of whipped cream,

Table of Contents

Why this recipe is so great:

Easy peasy – All you have to do is beat your wet ingredients well, stir in your dry ingredients, fold in your blueberries, and bake! The only thing you need is a little patience combining all your wet ingredients to incorporate enough air for lift in the batter.
Moist and tender – This lemon blueberry pound cake is more moist and tender than traditional pound cake because of the addition of baking powder and sour cream. The taste is buttery with bright notes of lemon zest and there are just enough blueberries in every bite!
Keeps well – This cake keeps for 3 days tightly wrapped at room temperature, up to a week stored in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.

How to make lemon blueberry pound cake:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between. Then beat in the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir together until almost combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Transfer the batter into a greased 8×4″ loaf pan. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for an hour.

How to serve:

Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and/or with a dollop of whipped cream, sweetened creme fraiche, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Expert tips:

Properly softened butter – Room temperature butter is about 65°F (18°C). When you press it, your finger will make a clean indent. Your finger won’t sink down into the butter or slide around. To get this perfect consistency, leave your butter out on the counter for about 1 hour before starting the recipe. If you forget, use this trick to quickly soften your butter: How to soften butter using a warm glass hack.
Room temperature eggs – Room temperature eggs mix better and hold more air, which is important when making pound cake since the structure of this cake relies mostly on the air bubbles that are produced during the creaming of the butter and sugar, and during the beating of the eggs. To bring your eggs to room temperature, leave them on the counter for about an hour until they are no longer cool to the touch. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, simply place them in a bowl of lukewarm water for 10 minutes. Change the water and repeat the process for another 5 minutes if the eggs are still cool to the touch.
Mix well – A well-emulsified batter will trap and hold air bubbles that then expand during baking. This creates the rise and is an important factor in the final texture of the cake. So take the time to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, and mix well in between the addition of each egg.

FAQ:

Why is it called pound cake?

Pound cakes were originally made with one pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar, hence the name.

What is the secret to a moist pound cake?

Adding an extra dairy ingredient like buttermilk or sour cream. The extra fat adds moisture and the acidity tenderizes the gluten for a soft, fine crumb as well.

Do you need baking powder for pound cake?

No, classic pound cake recipes don’t call for baking powder, but as a fail-safe and for a little extra lift in the cake, I prefer to add a small amount so my pound cake is not so dense.

Why is my pound cake so heavy?

Pound cakes are supposed to be a little heavy and dense, but not overly. If so, it’s probably due to overmixing the wet and dry ingredients together or not having enough air incorporated into the batter.