If cakes could flirt, this one would be the charming stranger who catches your eye across the room, winks knowingly and then disappears into the night-leaving you utterly bewitched. Nigella Lawson’s Lemon and Blueberry Cake is just like that: unassuming at first glance but the moment you take a bite? Boom. You’re in love.
It’s a deeply moist, citrusy sponge-zippy with lemon zest, tender with yogurt and freckled all over with little bursts of juicy blueberries. I made it for the first time on a lazy Saturday morning when I had exactly half a punnet of blueberries left in the fridge, two lemons on the edge of too-soft and a heart heavy from a long week. It became a small ritual: this cake is now my comfort food in cake form.
The magic of this cake lies in its simplicity. No fancy tricks, no fuss. Just honest ingredients handled with care-very much Nigella’s style. It’s the kind of cake that feels like a hug from someone you love (and maybe haven’t seen in a while).
Nigella Lemon And Blueberry Cake Recipe
Ingredients Needed
This cake doesn’t ask for much which is one of the reasons I adore it. Here’s what you’ll need:
For The Cake
- 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 300g caster sugar (I’ve used golden caster sugar too which adds a little depth)
- 3 large eggs
- 200g plain flour
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
- 4 tbsp lemon juice (plus more for glaze if you’re doing one)
- 200g Greek yogurt (full-fat makes it beautifully rich)
- 200g blueberries, fresh or frozen (though I do have a note on this below)
Optional Glaze
- Icing sugar
- A little lemon juice to make a runny glaze
I once forgot the lemon zest and almost cried into the batter. Don’t skip it-it’s what gives the cake its sunshiney soul.
Equipment Needed
No need to drag out the stand mixer unless you’re feeling dramatic. This cake is humble and your usual kitchen gear will more than do:
- Mixing bowls (two will do. one for wet, one for dry)
- Electric hand mixer or balloon whisk (your arms will forgive you later)
- Spatula
- Loaf tin (Nigella uses a 900g/2lb loaf tin)
- Baking parchment
- Grater/zester
- Measuring scales or cups (precision matters in baking but I’ve eyeballed in emergencies and survived)
Once while visiting my mum, I had to improvise with a casserole dish and no parchment. The cake stuck like a toddler to a bedtime story. Lesson learned: line the tin.
Instructions To Make Nigella Lawson’s Lemon And Blueberry Cake
Alright, ready to make something lovely? Settle in with your ingredients, put on your favourite playlist-I usually go for something light and jazzy. and let’s bake.
Step 1: Preheat And Prepare
Get your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 350°F. Line your loaf tin with baking parchment. Don’t skip lining it. even if you butter it lovingly. This cake is sticky.
Step 2: Cream It Good
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. This takes a good 3-5 minutes with a hand mixer. Think of it as beating out the week’s frustrations.
Step 3: Add The Eggs
Crack in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each. It might look a little curdled-don’t panic. Just breathe and keep whisking. The flour will fix everything.
Step 4: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt.
Step 5: Lemon & Yogurt
Add the lemon zest and juice to your butter mixture. Then stir in the Greek yogurt. this is what gives the cake its rich, creamy texture.
Step 6: Bring It All Together
Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Don’t overmix. Just enough to bring it all together into a smooth, dreamy batter.
Step 7: Blueberry Moment
Toss your blueberries in a teaspoon of flour (this stops them from sinking). Gently fold them into the batter. Be careful not to crush them. this isn’t blueberry jam.
Step 8: Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are okay; wet batter is not).
Step 9: Cool & Glaze (Optional)
Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift it onto a wire rack. If you’re feeling fancy, make a quick glaze with icing sugar and lemon juice, then drizzle it over once the cake is cool.
What I Learnt
I’ve made this cake half a dozen times now. sometimes with blueberries, once with raspberries (delightful) and once with no berries at all when I forgot them (still good). Here’s what it’s taught me:
- Blueberries bleed: If you use frozen ones straight from the freezer, they’ll streak the batter. It’s kind of pretty in a rustic way but if you want clean little pops of fruit, stick with fresh.
- Yogurt in cake is underrated: It creates such a velvety crumb. almost like you’ve baked a cloud.
- Don’t skip the parchment: Seriously. I’ve made this mistake more than once and scraped the tin with a spatula like a sad archaeologist.
- It’s a mood cake: This is not just dessert. It’s a ’celebrate the sunshine’ cake. A ’someone broke your heart’ cake. A ’just because’ cake. It somehow fits whatever space you need it to.
FAQs
Can I Use Frozen Blueberries For Nigella’s Lemon And Blueberry Cake?
Absolutely! I’ve made this cake with frozen blueberries a few times, and it works just as well. The only tip I’d give is to toss the frozen berries in a bit of flour before adding them to the batter. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking. Trust me, they’ll still burst with that sweet, juicy flavor!
Can I Substitute The Sour Cream In Nigella’s Lemon And Blueberry Cake?
Yes! If you don’t have sour cream on hand, you can use plain yogurt or even crème fraîche as a substitute. Both add that creamy richness and tang that balances out the sweetness of the blueberries. I’ve tried both, and honestly, either works beautifully, but it might give a slightly different texture depending on which you choose!
How Do I Make Sure The Lemon And Blueberry Cake Is Super Moist Like Nigella’s?
Ah, this is the secret-don’t overmix the batter! A lot of people go too hard when stirring, but really, all you need to do is fold the ingredients gently. Also, the sour cream or yogurt really helps with moisture. One trick I like to do is drizzle a little lemon syrup over the cake once it’s cooled slightly, just to kick up the lemony goodness and keep everything deliciously moist!
