Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

Tender lemon cake layers dotted with fresh blueberries, stacked tall with bright lemon curd and silky dairy-free frosting. The crumb is soft and light, the curd adds a tart punch, and the frosting keeps everything perfectly sweet. It tastes like spring sunshine. Beautiful for birthdays, garden parties, or any time you want something special that happens to be completely dairy-free and egg-free.

By TasteBuds

Recipe details

Yield
10 to 12 people
Prep time
40 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • 1¾ cups Unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • ¾ cup Vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup Fresh lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons Lemon zest, finely grated (from about 2 large lemons)
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups Fresh blueberries (plus more for decorating)
  • ⅔ cup Granulated sugar (for lemon curd)
  • 3 tablespoons Cornstarch (for lemon curd)
  • ⅔ cup Water (for lemon curd)
  • ½ cup Fresh lemon juice (for lemon curd, from about 3 lemons)
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon zest, finely grated (for lemon curd, from about 1 lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons Vegan butter (for lemon curd)
  • 1 cup Vegan butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 4 cups Powdered sugar (for frosting)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons Unsweetened almond milk (for frosting, or other non-dairy milk)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Line the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides with a little vegetable oil or cooking spray.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 g) baking powder, 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon (4 g) salt.
  4. Zest 2 large lemons to get 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest and set aside.
  5. Juice the same 2 large lemons to get ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice.
  6. Add 1¾ cups (420 ml) unsweetened almond milk, ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable oil, ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Whisk until smooth and just combined.
  7. Gently fold in 1½ cups (220 g) fresh blueberries. They might bleed a little color into the batter, that's fine.
  8. Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Tap each pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
  9. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should spring back when lightly pressed.
  10. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and peel off the parchment. Let them cool completely before frosting.
  11. While the cakes cool, make the lemon curd. In a small saucepan, whisk together ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch.
  12. Zest 1 lemon to get 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest for the curd.
  13. Juice 3 lemons to get ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice for the curd.
  14. Add ⅔ cup (160 ml) water, ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest to the saucepan with the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth.
  15. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil, about 5 to 7 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon and look glossy.
  16. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons (42 g) vegan butter until melted and smooth.
  17. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove the zest bits and any lumps. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until completely cool, at least 1 hour.
  18. Make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup (225 g) softened vegan butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy and pale, about 2 minutes.
  19. Add 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened almond milk. Beat on low to combine, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. If it's too thick, add another 1 tablespoon (15 ml) almond milk.
  20. Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread half of the chilled lemon curd over the top, leaving a small border around the edge. Top with a thin layer of frosting if you like, or just the curd.
  21. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat with the remaining lemon curd.
  22. Place the third cake layer on top. Use the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake in a thin crumb coat first, then finish with a thicker, smooth layer. An offset spatula helps here.
  23. Decorate the top with fresh blueberries and thin lemon slices if you have them. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if you want it to look extra pretty.
  24. Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing to let the layers set. It will slice much cleaner that way.