Categories: Dessert
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE
- 2 cups plus 6 tablespoons cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel (double for a more pronounced lemon flavor)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- FOR THE FROSTING
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar (I used a little less)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel (I added 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for more lemon flavor)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8- or 9-inch diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper and butter paper. Dust pans with flour and set aside.
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Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon flour mixture to separate bowl and add fresh blueberries. Toss with flour to coat and set and blueberries and remaining flour mixture aside.
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Stir together whole milk, vanilla extract and grated lemon peel in small bowl.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using electric mixer, beat butter in until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. (Flour, milk, flour, milk, flour.) Gently fold in blueberries with a spatula. Divide batter equally among pans.
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Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23-25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 10 minutes and then run knife around pan sides to loosen. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely. Peel off parchment paper.
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FOR THE FROSTING
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar (tasting as you go – you might not want all four cups of powdered sugar due to sweetness). Beat in lemon peel, juice if using and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until just firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
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TO ASSEMBLE CAKE
- Transfer one cake layer to platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over cake layer. Top with another cake layer; spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (Cake can be prepared up to one day ahead of time, covered and refrigerated. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.) Decorate cake as desired and serve.