Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake
This Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake has a rich, tender sour cream crumb filled with fresh lemon flavor and juicy blackberries. A thick glaze made with cooked berries adds a bold blackberry finish to every slice.
Some days, I’m excited to stack cake layers, make frosting, and pull out a piping bag.
Other days, I want the cake to do most of the work while I take full credit.
This Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake is for those days when I want something a little easier. The pan handles the shape, the glaze settles into every ridge, and a handful of fresh blackberries finishes the job.
It’s the perfect use for all these delicious summer blackberries that seem to go from perfectly ripe to mushy and questionable in approximately six minutes. (Am I the only one guilty of overbuying berries?!)
The glaze gets its color and flavor from real blackberries. No food coloring, no berry extract, and no vague promise of “berry flavor” that tastes mostly like powdered sugar.
Just lemon cake, plenty of blackberries, and a dessert that looks much more complicated than it is.
And when you make this cake over the summer and love it so much that you want it year-round, don’t worry. Frozen blackberries work, too!
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s nothing unusual hiding in this ingredient list, but the type of dairy you use and the condition of the blackberries can affect the final cake. Here’s what matters most.
Blackberries
Fresh or frozen blackberries both work well. Keep frozen berries frozen until you fold them into the batter so they don’t release extra juice or turn the entire cake purple. Fresh berries should be dry before using.
Lemon
Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best flavor. Zest the lemons before juicing them, which is much easier than trying to zest two collapsing lemon halves.
Sour Cream
Full-fat sour cream gives the cake a rich, tender crumb. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt is the best substitute and can be used in equal amounts.
Butter
Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt in the recipe. A plant-based baking butter should work for a dairy-free version, but choose one sold in sticks rather than a soft tub spread.
Milk
Whole milk adds a little extra richness, but any dairy milk will work. For a dairy-free cake, use an unsweetened, neutral-flavored nondairy milk.
All-Purpose Flour
For a gluten-free version, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. The crumb may be slightly more delicate, so let the cake cool for the full 15 minutes before turning it out of the pan.
How to Make Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake
This is a classic creamed-butter cake, so the order matters more than any individual step. Give the butter and sugar enough time to become light and fluffy, then keep the mixing gentle once the flour enters the bowl.
Cream the Butter and Lemon Sugar
Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar until the sugar looks pale yellow and smells intensely lemony. Add the softened butter and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is noticeably lighter and fluffier.
Add the Eggs
Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Adding them gradually helps the batter stay smooth and evenly emulsified.
Alternate the Dry and Wet Ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. In another, combine the sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture. Keep the mixer on low and stop as soon as the batter comes together.
Fold in the Blackberries
Toss the blackberries with the reserved flour, then gently fold them into the batter. Keep frozen berries frozen so they don’t release extra juice before the cake reaches the oven.
Bake and Cool
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted into a section without a blackberry comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack. Don’t leave it in the pan much longer, or the cooling sugar can start acting like glue.
Make the Blackberry Glaze
Cook the blackberries with lemon juice until they soften and release their juices, then press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Whisk the strained blackberry purée with powdered sugar until the glaze is thick but pourable.
Finish and Glaze the Cake
Pour the glaze over the completely cooled cake, letting it follow the ridges and drip down the sides. Add fresh blackberries to the center before serving.
Brightening Blackberry Glaze with Lemon Juice
Cooking blackberries concentrates their flavor, but the purée can look darker and duller than the fresh berries. Adding lemon juice shifts the color toward a brighter red-purple while also keeping the powdered sugar glaze from becoming overly sweet.
So why does a small amount of lemon juice make such a visible difference?
Kitchen Chemistry
Blackberries contain anthocyanins, water-soluble pigments whose molecular structure changes depending on pH. In a more acidic environment, anthocyanins shift toward red and magenta tones, while less acidic conditions produce bluer or duller purple shades.
Adding lemon juice lowers the pH of the blackberry purée, pushing the color toward the vivid reddish-purple shade in the finished glaze. The acid also balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar, so one ingredient improves both the flavor and appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bundt cakes are easy until they refuse to leave the pan or the glaze slides straight onto the plate. These are the questions most likely to come up while making this one.
Can I use frozen blackberries?
Yes. Keep them frozen until you fold them into the batter so they release less juice and create fewer purple streaks. Frozen berries may add a few minutes to the baking time.
How do I keep the cake from sticking to the Bundt pan?
Grease every ridge and crevice thoroughly, then dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess. A baking spray that contains flour also works well. Let the cake cool for 10 to 15 minutes before turning it out, since removing it too early or too late can both cause problems.
Why did my batter look curdled?
The lemon juice can make the sour cream mixture look slightly curdled, especially once it meets the butter and eggs. Alternating the wet and dry ingredients helps the batter stay emulsified, but a slightly curdled appearance isn’t a problem once the flour is incorporated.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes. The cake can be made one day in advance and stored covered at room temperature. You can glaze it once it has cooled completely or wait until the day you plan to serve it.
Why is my blackberry glaze too thin?
The amount of liquid in blackberries can vary. Whisk in more powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until the glaze falls slowly from the whisk and holds its shape on the cake.
More Blackberry Recipes:
- Blackberry Brownies
- Blackberry Pie Bars
- Blackberry Peach Galette
- Lemon Curd Cake with Blackberry Buttercream
- Berry Oatmeal Crumble Bars
Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake
A tender lemon sour cream Bundt cake filled with juicy blackberries and finished with a thick blackberry glaze made from real fruit.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake:
- 3 cups (360 grams) + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, from approximately 2 lemons
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240 grams) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (approximately 210 grams) fresh or frozen blackberries
For the Blackberry Glaze:
- 1 cup (approximately 140 grams) fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups (180 to 240 grams) confectioners' sugar
- Fresh blackberries and lemon zest, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 12-cup metal Bundt pan with softened butter, then dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Alternatively, use a nonstick baking spray containing flour.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the flour for coating the blackberries. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. The mixture may look slightly curdled from the lemon juice; this is normal.
- Make the lemon sugar. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is pale yellow and fragrant.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Add the softened butter and beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Alternate the dry and wet ingredients. With the mixer running on low speed, add one-third of the flour mixture. Add half of the sour cream mixture, followed by another third of the flour mixture. Add the remaining sour cream mixture, then finish with the remaining flour. Mix just until no dry streaks remain.
- Add the blackberries. Toss the blackberries with the reserved tablespoon of flour. Gently fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula. Do not thaw frozen blackberries before adding them.
- Bake the cake. Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and spread the top evenly. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a tester inserted into a section without a blackberry comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully invert it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Make the blackberry glaze. Combine the blackberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring and mashing the berries as they soften and release their juices. Press the cooked blackberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, using the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to extract as much purée as possible. Discard the seeds and let the purée cool slightly. Whisk the blackberry purée with 1½ cups (180 grams) of powdered sugar until smooth. Add more powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until the glaze is thick but still pourable.
- Glaze the cake. Pour or spoon the glaze over the completely cooled cake, allowing it to run down the ridges. Garnish with fresh blackberries and lemon zest, if desired. Let the glaze set before slicing.
Notes
- Blackberries: Fresh or frozen blackberries work well. Pat fresh berries dry before using. Keep frozen berries frozen until they are folded into the batter; thawed berries release more juice and can turn the batter purple.
- Curdled Mixture: The sour cream mixture may look curdled after the lemon juice is added. This is normal. Alternating it with the flour helps the finished batter remain emulsified.
- Glaze Consistency: Blackberry purée varies in moisture. Add more powdered sugar if the glaze is too thin. If it becomes too thick, whisk in additional blackberry purée or lemon juice, ½ teaspoon at a time.
- Storage: Store the covered cake at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated slices to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: Freeze the unglazed cake or individual unglazed slices, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for several hours at room temperature, then glaze before serving.
- Recommended Tools: 12 Cup Bundt Pan | Stand Mixer | Microplane Zester | Fine Mesh Sieve | Small Saucepan | Wire Cooling Rack | Kitchen Scale
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