Blueberry Pound Cake
An easy, moist blueberry pound cake recipe for a cake that bakes up sweet and bursting with fresh, juicy blueberries and topped with a simple glaze. Make in a large loaf pan or tube pan. (Plus: a pro tip on not letting your blueberries sink into the batter!)
Servings: 10 people (one standard tube pan)
Calories: 524kcal
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar, plus more for dusting
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
- Zest of one lemon, optional
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or fresh-frozen (no need to thaw)
For the Glaze (Optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 cup milk, water, or lemon juice (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line a standard tube pan or large loaf pan (4.5" x 12"). PRO TIP: Do not overfill the blueberry pound cake batter in the pan. No matter what type of cake pan you choose, the blueberry pound cake batter should not fill the pan higher than about 3/4 full. Bake any extra batter as muffins or tea-sized loaf cakes.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest (if using). Beat until smooth and light. PRO TIP: Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula as you go! The batter should be fully emulsified.
- Add the baking powder and flour on low, just until combined. Fold in the blueberries and mix gently, just until evenly distributed.PRO TIP: To make extra sure the blueberries do not sink into the batter, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the flour mixture and toss it with the blueberries. This serves two purposes: First, if you're using frozen blueberries, it will absorb some of the juice and keep the batter from turning lavender colored. Second, the flour acts as a grippy buffer against the batter, helping suspend the berries instead of sinking. The flour mixture will absorb into the batter with the blueberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tube or loaf pan(s). Spread the batter to even the top, and sprinkle the top generously with sugar, if desired.
- Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester (such as a toothpick) comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back lightly. Do not overbake.TIP: If you use frozen blueberries, your baking time will increase by a few minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack. When the cake pan is cool enough to handle but still warm, turn the cake out onto the cooling rack. Cool fully before serving. Feel free to serve as-is, or whisk up a quick confectioner sugar glaze with fresh lemon juice, water, or milk.
For the Glaze and to Serve
- In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and water. Whisk until smooth.
- Keep the cake on the wire cooling rack but place a rimmed baking sheet or piece of parchment paper beneath to catch the drips. The spoon glaze over the top of the cake, allowing some to pool on top, and some to drip down the sides. Serve.
Notes
Why I don't recommend a bundt pan
A loaf or tube pan works best here, thanks to the flat sides. Blueberries can be sticky in a cake pan, even a well-greased or nonstick one, and the angles and crannies of a bundt pan make it hard to get the cake out without tearing.Storage and Freezing
This blueberry pound cake will keep for several days, covered at room temperature. Do not refrigerate, which will stale the cake. Pound cake freezes well. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap before freezing. Thaw, unwrapped, at room temperature.Making This Blueberry Pound Cake in Advance
This blueberry pound cake will keep for at least 3 days covered at room temperature. Pound cake has a high fat content, which keeps it tender and moist.What if I want to add lemon flavor to the cake?
This blueberry pound cake is a sweet, vanilla pound cake that lets the blueberry flavor shine. But lemon-blueberry is a very popular flavor combination for pound cake. If you'd like to enhance this with lemon flavor, add the zest of one lemon into the batter, and make the glaze with lemon juice instead of milk or water. This will give it the perfect lemon zing.Nutrition
Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 682IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.
