Moist Blueberry Cake Recipe with Fresh Berries

Layer this Cake using the Cut and Stack Method

The cut-and-stack method lets you bake in sheet pans, freeze the sheet cake, and cut precise layers with cake rings for consistent, even layers. Quick overview:

1. Bake the cake in a sheet pan.
2. Wrap and freeze the cake while still in the pan.
3. Cut the desired round sizes using cake rings, keeping the layers frozen for clean edges.
4. Crumb coat the stacked layers to trap crumbs.
5. Finish and decorate once the crumb coat is firm.

Frozen blueberries are recommended for this recipe because they tend to be juicier and are often picked at peak ripeness. Fresh berries may be used, but results can vary based on ripeness and water content.

Yes. After filling and crumb-coating (or finishing) the cake, wrap it and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature a couple of hours before serving for best texture.

Yes. This batter works well for cupcakes. Use a 2-oz scoop (¼ cup) per cupcake and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, then reduce to 300°F for 3–5 minutes until done. Make extra filling for piping into the baked cupcakes.

The Best Blueberry Cake

This bakery-style blueberry layer cake is moist and full of real blueberry flavor. The recipe includes a homemade blueberry compote filling and a creamy blueberry buttercream. A 1x batch yields a 6″ three-layer cake when cut and stacked; a 2x batch yields an 8″ three-layer cake using cake rings.

For the most consistent results, weigh ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale when possible.

Equipment

• Cake rings
• Sheet pan (¼ sheet pan for 1x batch, ½ sheet pan for 2x)
• Parchment paper
• Kitchen scale
• Small food processor

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 200 g (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
• 200 g (1 cup) sugar
• 43 g (¼ cup) vanilla instant pudding mix (see notes)
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon natural blueberry emulsion (optional, add to taste)
• ⅛ teaspoon liquid red food coloring (optional)
• 170 g (about ¾ cup) frozen blueberries (to be pureed)

Additional Cake Ingredients

• ¾ stick (3 oz) salted butter, melted
• 1 batch prepared easy blueberry filling, cooled (reserve 70 g / ¼ cup for batter)

Blueberry Buttercream Ingredients

• 715 g (5 ½ cups) powdered sugar (may add more if needed)
• 2 tablespoons instant clearjel (optional)
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 ½ sticks (10 oz) salted butter, soft to the touch
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon natural blueberry emulsion (optional)
• Reserved blueberry puree (from earlier)

Decorations (optional)

• Prepared white chocolate ganache drip
• Fresh blueberries

Instructions

Prepare the blueberry compote filling and blueberry puree

1. Prepare a 1x batch of the blueberry compote filling and allow it to cool. Reserve 70 g (¼ cup) for the cake batter and keep the rest for filling the layers. The compote can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.
2. Thaw 170 g frozen blueberries, then blend in a food processor until a fine puree. Reserve about 78 g (⅓ cup) of puree for the buttercream and 78 g (⅓ cup) for the cake batter. Keep the buttercream portion chilled until needed.

Bake the Blueberry Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a ¼ sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly spray the pan.
2. Sift and whisk the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients along with the reserved 78 g (⅓ cup) blueberry puree. Pour the wet over the dry and whisk until combined.
3. Stir in the reserved 70 g (¼ cup) blueberry compote, then pour in the melted salted butter and whisk until the batter is smooth and glossy.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and spread evenly to the edges. Bake on the middle or upper rack for 18 minutes, then reduce the oven to 300°F (149°C) and bake an additional 3–6 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Baking time will vary by oven and batch size.
5. Cool the cake. For easier cutting and cleaner layers, wrap the cooled cake in the pan and freeze at least 2 hours (or up to two weeks). If freezing for longer than a couple of days, brush the cake with simple syrup before wrapping.

Make the blueberry buttercream frosting

1. If using instant clearjel, whisk it into the powdered sugar and set aside.
2. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the room-temperature butter and beat until lump-free and creamy, scraping the bowl as needed.
3. Slowly add the powdered sugar (or powdered sugar + clearjel) on low speed until incorporated. Add the reserved blueberry puree, vanilla, blueberry emulsion, and beat on high for 2–3 minutes to aerate the frosting and make it fluffy.
4. If you did not use clearjel, you may need to add up to 1 cup extra powdered sugar to reach piping consistency. The buttercream can be made ahead and refrigerated; bring it to room temperature and re-whip slightly before decorating.

Layer, Decorate and Serve

1. Cut round layers from the frozen sheet cake using cake rings. Work from frozen for the cleanest results; if assembling the same day, use well-chilled layers.
2. Place the bottom layer on a board, spread a ¼” layer of blueberry buttercream, then pipe a ½” high buttercream collar around the edge. Spoon blueberry filling into the center, staying below the collar. Repeat with the next layer.
3. Crumb coat the stacked cake with a thin layer of buttercream and freeze briefly (about 10 minutes) until firm. Apply the final coat of blueberry buttercream, then optionally drizzle with white chocolate ganache and decorate with fresh blueberries or piped rosettes.
4. Chill the finished cake briefly, then remove from the refrigerator 2–3 hours before serving so the cake reaches room temperature for best texture.

Notes

1. Instant pudding mix contains modified cornstarch, which helps cakes retain moisture and a soft texture. If you prefer to avoid the instant pudding mix, 1–2 tablespoons of instant clearjel may work in a 1x batch, though the recipe was tested with pudding mix.
2. If you use a concentrated blueberry emulsion or extract, add it gradually to taste for the best flavor balance.
3. The small amount of red food coloring is optional and only used to nudge the cake color toward purple; it does not affect flavor.
4. Simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) can be brushed on layers before stacking to lock in moisture when storing cakes for several days or freezing for longer periods.

Calories are estimated with a nutrition calculator. Ingredients linked elsewhere are not included in this estimate.