Have you ever driven a cake in a cooler for over two hours to photograph it in its own special location?

Originally Published 06/22/2021

Because this Lemon Blackberry Cake is especially delicious, I felt it needed an especially beautiful spot to be photographed lol.

Not long ago my co-worker went to Hematite Lake to take engagement pictures. They were beautiful and I knew I needed to go visit this lake myself!

There are these beautiful stepping stones in the water. In my mind, I pictured a gorgeous cake sitting on its cakestand in the middle of the lake with its reflection sparkling back! 😍 So I made this lovely Lemon Blackberry Cake and convinced my husband to help me load it up in a cooler and drive it over an hour away so my cake vision could be fulfilled…

The last bit of the drive was down a very winding road and we were both a little surprised when we opened the lid and the cake had made it in one piece! I anxiously got out ahead of my hubby on the trail, and rounded the corner to where the stepping stones were only to find… there was no water! 😂

The water table was low so everything around the stepping stones was dry. So I had made my husband haul me and this cake to Kentucky, just so I could take pictures of it in the woods, which we also have about 5 minutes from home. Oh well! It turned out to be a fun day, took some gorgeous pictures, had a picnic, and ate cake! I’m gonna call this one a win!

So, on to making this Lemon Blackberry Cake!

I’ll be honest, I’m not even a cake person and this cake makes me want to be one!

The cake itself is so bright and lemony! The blackberry frosting that goes in between the layers of cake is surprisingly light and fluffy! While the Swiss buttercream on the outside is easy to work with and not overly sweet.

The recipe itself is not extremely difficult, it just takes a little time and patience!

Let’s get started!

Start by getting the cake pans ready.

I used two 9″ cake tins, baked two rounds, and cut them each in half to create 4 layers. You could also use 8″ cake tins, although this would most likely increase the bake time.

Spray both of the pans down with oil and use a parchment round on the bottom. Make sure to also spray the parchment paper after you put it in. You’re also going to lightly flour the tins as well! One must take all the precautions to prevent sticking when baking cake 😂!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and you’re all set!

Now to make the Lemon Blackberry Cake Batter!

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set it to the side. Add the butter to your mixer and give it a little whip. Then add the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Next add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides as you go so everything gets mixed well. Finally, take turns pouring in the buttermilk and the flour mixture until both are fully incorporated. Pour the batter equally into both pans and then bake! Almost as easy as using a cake mix out of a box!

Once they’re finished baking, you’ll want to let the sponges cool in the pan for a bit before attempting to dump them out, with less chance of breaking or sticking. Also, I have the worst patience, but wait until they are cool and then refrigerate. It was sooo much easier to cut these in half and handle them when they were chilled. I made the sponges the day before, wrapped them up, and put them in the fridge overnight.

This Lemon Blackberry Cake does have two different frostings.

I wanted a lighter, fluffier frosting to go with the sponge in the cake, but I also wanted a stronger frosting to hold everything together too. I’m not a cake maker. Most of the cakes I’ve made in the past have been lopsided, and wanted to slide apart, the frosting was a melty disaster. Just not good. These two frostings were perfect!

For the blackberry lemon frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter, and lemon zest. Then add in the blackberries. I mixed them in pretty good, although there were some small blackberry bits left.

Add in the powdered sugar and whip until fluffy. After this, you’re going to whisk the heavy whipping cream separately until it forms stiff peaks and then fold it into the blackberry frosting. This is what gives it a nice light and less sweet flavor! I would recommend making this frosting while the cake is baking and getting it in the fridge to chill and set up as it’s easier to work with once it’s colder.

I am currently in love with Swiss Buttercream!

Where has this frosting been all my life!? It’s easy to make, less sweet than American buttercream and when it’s cold it so sturdy! The only thing that’s particular about it, is you need a kitchen thermometer to check the egg white/sugar mixture which needs to get to 160 degrees.

After the egg whites/sugar mixture has been heated to 160 degrees over a double boiler, pour it in the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip it on high until a stiff peaked meringue forms. Cut the cup of softened butter into tablespoon chunks, and with the mixer running on medium speed at them one at a time.

Finish the frosting out by adding in the salt, vanilla, and food coloring. To get the color I did, I used a tiny bit of gel magenta and sky blue. Whip it until it becomes fluffy. Unlike the cake rounds and the blackberry lemon frosting, this is easier to work with at room temperature. Once it’s cool it becomes very, very stiff – not great for working with.

So make this just before you’re ready to assemble the cake.

Finally,

it’s time to assemble the cake. 

Slice the chilled cake rounds in half and place the first cake layer on the serving tray. Smooth a generous layer of the blackberry lemon frosting over it and repeat until the last unfrosted cake layer goes on top.

Next, use a cake icing spatula and frost the entire cake with the vanilla Swiss buttercream. Like I said before, I’m no cake decorator, I just make it up as I go. So if you need more instruction on how to get the frosting smooth check out Life Love and Sugar for a tutorial!

Once the Lemon Blackberry Cake is frosted, decorate the top however your heart desires! (Always the best part!) You can serve the cake immediately, or place it back in the fridge for 30-60 minutes uncovered for the Swiss buttercream to set up. Obviously, since we hauled this to the lake and back, it’s a sturdy cake! It’s summery, and tasty and you can literally haul it anywhere – the perfect cake to take to a BBQ!

Print Recipe

Lemon Blackberry Cake

A bright lemon cake filled with layers of delicious fluffy blackberry frosting and finished with a light vanilla swiss buttercream. The perfect mid-summer cake!

Prep Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Cooling and Frosting2 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12 slices

Equipment

• Kitchenaid Mixer
• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• 2 – 9″ cake tins
• Rubber Spatula
• Lemon Zester
• 2 – Medium Bowls
• Hand Mixer or whisk
• Cake Icing Spatula
• Medium Heat Proof Bowl
• Kitchen Thermometer

Ingredients

Lemon Cake

• 1 Cup Salted Butter room temperature
• 4 Eggs room temperature
• 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 4 tsp Lemon Zest
• 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Cup Buttermilk
• 2 1/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Blackberry Lemon Frosting

• 4 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
• 3 tbsp Salted Butter room temperature
• 2 tbsp Lemon Zest
• 1 pint Blackberries
• 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Vanilla Swiss Buttercream

• 4 Egg Whites
• 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Gel Food Coloring Magenta & Light Blue

Instructions

Lemon Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9″ cake tins, and line the bottom with a parchment round, also grease the parchment. Then, lightly flour the cake tins as well.
• In a separate bowl, combine the 2 1/3 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of baking soda, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix and set aside.
• In your Kitchenaid mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the cup of butter and beat for a minute. Next, add in the 2 cups of sugar, 4 tsp of lemon zest, and two tbsp of lemon juice and whip until they’re mixed. After this add in the eggs one at a time, mixing to combine after each egg. You may need to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine.
• Once the eggs are combined, alternate adding in the buttermilk and the flour mixture, mixing in between each addition. Scrape down the sides, and mix until all the ingredients come together.
• Divide the batter equally between the two pans. Place both of the pans on the middle rack of the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and when a toothpick is inserted into the middle it comes back out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack for another 45 minutes. Once the cakes are room temperature, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge to cool for at least an hour.

Blackberry Lemon Frosting

• While the lemon cake is baking, clean out your mixing bowl and whisk attachment and get ready to make the frosting that will go between the cake layers!
• To your mixing bowl, add the 4oz of room temperature cream cheese, 3 tbsp of salted butter, and 2 tbsp of lemon zest. Whip until combined. Next, add the pint of blackberries and mix on medium speed. The blackberries will mostly break down, its ok if there are some larger chunks left though.
• After this, add the 3 cups of sugar and begin mixing at low speed. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, turn up to high speed and whip until fluffy.
• In a separate medium-size bowl, add one cup of heavy whipping cream and beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Then, add the whipped cream into the lemon blackberry frosting and mix on low speed until just combined.
• Scoop the frosting into another bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it’s needed later.

Vanilla Swiss Buttercream

• While the lemon cake is chilling in the fridge, in a medium-size heat-proof bowl add 4 egg whites, and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fill a small pot with a couple of inches of water and place it on the stove over medium heat. Next, place the heat-proof bowl containing the eggs and sugar over the pot of water to create a double boiler. The water in the pan should not be touching the bottom of the bowl. While stirring continuously, heat the egg whites/sugar to 160 degrees.
• Once the egg whites/sugar reaches 160 degrees, carefully remove the bowl and pour the ingredients into your Kitchenaid mixer again fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on high and let it whip the egg whites a meringue with stiff peaks forms.
• Next, turn the mixer down to medium and add in 1 cup of unsalted butter 1 tbsp at a time with the mixer continuously mixing. Once the butter is all in add the tsp of vanilla and 1/4 tsp of salt. Whip until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Cover and set to the side until you’re ready to frost the cake. You can refrigerate the buttercream if you need more time, however, it will become very stiff once cold and will need to warm back up before you can easily frost with it. It’s best to make it close to when you’re ready to frost and leave it at room temperature on your counter.

Assemble

• Slice each of the chilled cake rounds in half so you have 4 cake layers. Place one cake layer on the tray and place 1/3 of the blackberry frosting on top of it. Smooth the frosting around as evenly as you can, and then add the second cake round. Again, add 1/3 of the blackberry lemon frosting to the top of the cake round and evenly smooth out. Repeat, finishing with an unfrosted final 4th cake round as the top.
• Next, evenly cover the sides and top of the cake with the Vanilla Swiss Buttercream, smooth with a cake frosting knife. Decorate the top with blackberries and edible flowers!
• Either serve immediately or chill to set up the Vanilla Swiss Buttercream and serve later!
• Slice and enjoy!

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