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Celebrating the weekend with this sweet Swirled Blueberry Lemon Thyme Cake. Perfect for summertime baking. Sweet lemony sour cream cake swirled with a mix of fresh blueberries and blueberry jam. This cake is mouthwatering and oh so delicious. Every bite is layered with fresh berries, jam, and hints of lemon. Finish this simple cake with a lemon-thyme glaze that’s unique and delicious. This is the perfect berry-filled pound cake for any and all occasions. Bonus? It’s simpler to make than you’d think, and so very pretty…with very little effort.
Happy last Friday of May – happy almost June! You guys, I have to admit, I am feeling excited. June is so very close and things are starting to feel summery. It’s a fun time of year. We have three months of nice weather, amazing summer produce, and lots of summer baking to look forward too.
But right now, what I’m most excited about is this simple loaf cake, which is somewhat shocking to me. One, because there’s no chocolate involved…which is usually a must for me when it comes to cakes. And two, this is a loaf cake, not a layer cake. We all know how much I love a good layer cake, but I challenged myself to create a simple loaf style pound cake as a change of pace. It’s something I’ve never created before and I love creating new to me recipes.
Jumping right into the details today, because well, I want us all to do a little Friday night baking…it’s my favorite night to bake!
The inspiration.
As I mentioned above, I wanted to create something fresh, new, and different. I’ve never shared any kind of pound cake, or loaf cake for that matter, so I decided a lemony blueberry cake was the perfect fit. Fresh summer flavors in a simple loaf style cake.
I recently stocked up on plenty of fresh blueberries, so I knew I was good to go there. Additionally, I had plenty of fresh thyme in the fridge from my last herb order. I decided to put the two together and create a pound cake bursting with berries and hinted lightly with floral thyme and fresh lemon.
It was perfect. Bursting with flavor and juicy berries…and best enjoyed with a scoop of ice cream. Or maybe a little homemade whipped cream plus a warm cup of coffee. Perfect Sunday morning brunch, afternoon snack, or late night dessert. You can’t go wrong.
How you make this blueberry lemon thyme cake.
It’s quick, easy, and so simple.
Cream some butter with lots of lemon zest and a touch of sugar. Then add eggs and sour cream.
Now, the sour cream is KEY. You can also use Greek yogurt, but I’ve decided that sour cream will give you the best flavor and the most amount of moisture too. This is my first time baking with sour cream, but it will not be my last. It’s a game-changer and I’m just a little bit obsessed.
Once all the wet ingredients have been mixed. Simply beat in the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Then stir in lots of blueberries.
And now we swirl in jam…
Because I LOVE a jammy cake and a mix of fresh berries to sweeten the concentrated jam. It’s a winning combination that never gets old.
So, layer half of the batter into a loaf pan, next swirl in a tablespoon or so of sweet blueberry jam. Spoon over the remaining batter, then add one more swirls of jam, a small handful of berries, and a sprinkling of sugar on top to finish.
At this point, it’s time to bake. Like most pound cakes, this takes about an hour in the oven…which is a long while. But I promise, the wait will be worth it!
While the cake bakes, make the glaze.
The glaze is where the thyme comes in.
First things first, please do not let the use of thyme scare you away. If you’ve never tossed thyme in with your berries, now is the time to start. It’s not an intense flavor, but it lends a really nice floral touch. I love the combination of lemon, thyme, and blueberries. It’s a simple ingredient to toss into the mix but adds so much.
That said, you are of course welcome to omit the thyme from the cake. It’s totally up to you, but I love the herbal addition.
The rest is simple. Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice and that thyme…and that’s your glaze.
Simple. Simple.
Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top, slice, and enjoy!
Every bite is bursting with sweet blueberries, hinted with lemon and thyme, and perfectly sweet too.
Of course, I highly recommend you serve each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s the only way to really enjoy a slice of berry-filled cake.
Some helpful suggestions…
You can really use whatever berry you love or have an abundance of in the fridge or in the freezer. Blackberries, raspberries, or a combo of your favorites…all will work, and all will be delicious.
If you don’t cook with sour cream, try using plain Greek yogurt. That works nicely too!
So make this today, tomorrow, this weekend, and from now until the start of fall. Fingers crossed that this blueberry cake will become your new “back pocket” summer cake recipe. So, with that, I will leave you with this yummy, but simple loaf style blueberry lemon cake.
Happiest (almost June) baking to you all! Hope you guys enjoy this cake as much as I do!
Looking for other blueberry recipes? Here are some favorites…
Blueberry Swirl Coffee Cake Muffins
Bursting Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake
Bursting Blueberry Cardamom Buckle
Lastly, if you make this swirled blueberry lemon thyme cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Swirled Blueberry Lemon Thyme Cake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 336 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 2 tablespoons blueberry jam
Lemon Thyme Glaze
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a (9x5 inch) loaf pan.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon zest until combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in 1 1/4 cups blueberries.3. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of blueberry jam, leaving a few streaks of jam throughout the batter. Add the remaining batter and then swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon jam. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup blueberries and 1 tablespoon sugar. 4. Transfer to the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until center is just set. Let cool before glazing. 5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, and lemon juice until smooth and drizzly. Stir in the thyme, if using. 6. Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
To Freeze: Bake as directed, cool completely, then tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze in a freezer bag or freezer safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or on the counter for a few hours.
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
Storing: this cake keeps well for 3-4 days at room temperature.
This post was originally published on May 29, 2020
This looks fabulous! Your photography is stunning!
I would love to try this, but I never, ever have luck with loaves. Even when they test done, they are undercooked in the middle when they cool down, and outer edges dry. Is it oven temperature?
Could this be baked as a flatter cake, in an 8 x 8 pan? OR other size?
Hi Alex,
Sure you could use a cake pan for this. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Looks delicious and the platter is so pretty
Thank you Molly! xTieghan
The cake was delicious – I made it with raspberries and we devoured it in a day. I am going to make it again today. It’s such a good breakfast bread. Could you link where you got that gorgeous cake plate? Thanks, love all your recipes 🙂
Hi Aileen,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for trying it! So sorry but the cake plate is old so I do not have a link. xTieghan
Made this at the weekend for a BBQ, absolutely delicious. So fresh and tasty.. I had one issue though, all of my jam and berries sunk to the bottom of the cake, was this because i used frozen berries maybe? I will try and make it again with fresh and see what happens (any excuse to make it again :))
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for trying the recipe, I am sorry you had issues with the blueberries. When using frozen blueberries I would recommend thawing and draining first. I hope this helps! xTieghan
I made this yesterday and it was delicious, we all loved it, so much flavor, Thankyou so much for this recipe?
Thank you Mary!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Turned out delicious! Any recommendations to keep the blueberries from sinking to the bottom?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! You could toss the blueberries is a little bit of flour before adding to the batter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Great loaf cake! I made it as written with one exception, I had used all my lemons earlier in the day, so had none for the zest. I used 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil essense instead of zest and it was delicious. Moist, tender crumb with lots of blueberry and lemon flavor. There is very little sugar in the batter, but it works because the blueberries are sweet as well as the jam. I used my homemade strawberry/blueberry jam I had made in the morning. Quick to throw together too. I’ll add this to my usual dessert rotation. I took a few pics but don’t see a way to upload. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Cindy!! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this cake yesterday and the recipe was too easy to produce such an amazingly delicious cake! This will be a keeper!
Thank you Barbara! xTieghan
What are your thoughts on replacing the sour cream with Greek yogurt?
Hi Urvi,
You could definitely use Greek yogurt! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi there, I love love your recipes. You are always my first step! Your photography is amazing. Just a note many of your recipes do not have “save to recipe box” but rather “go to recipe” when I’m already there
Thank you
Thank you for letting me know! The go to recipe is to take you straight to the recipe on the page! xTieghan
Made this today for the family. Super easy to put together and worth the cook time.
My father who isn’t one to give complements, said it was the most tasty loaf he’s ever eaten. Also, everyone was pleasantly surprised by how good the thyme tasted.
I can always count on HBH for a winning recipe.
Love to hear that! Thank you so much Rachel! xTieghan
This was so easy and delicious! My family loved it. Will be making often!
Amazing! Thank you Lisa! xTieghan
Tieghan, this recipe is amazing. I used frozen blueberries which I was kind of nervous about but it turned out just fine. Also used the higher end of thyme- 2 tsp, and am pleasantly surprised with how much I like it. Truly a great summer recipe.
Thank you so much Stephanie! xTieghan
Can you use dried thyme to flavor the glaze?
Hi Britt,
Fresh is best and optional but if you want to use dried thyme I would use 1/4 teaspoon. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Looks great! Can I substitute more blueberries for the jam?
Hi Karen,
I would simply omit the jam if you do not have any. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan