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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
Made this yesterday and it turned out PERFECTLY. My boyfriend said we can’t share it because he wants it all! ?
(I had to bake for an additional five minutes and I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.)
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Megan! xTieghan
This came out really good.
We used frozen berries because that’s what we had and it was still super yummy!
Love that! Thank you so much Jacob! xTieghan
This is by far the best GF cake I have ever made. I really struggle finding good recipes for GF cakes and cookies. I am usually disappointed and end up throwing them away. Not this one! I used an Orly London blend flour. It was moist, flavorful and not mealy. The addition of fresh thyme from my herb garden made this extra special. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for trying this Elizabeth! xTieghan
I made your Swirled Blueberry Lemon Thyme Bread today. Very easy to make and so delicious. I have to Thank you for the many recipes that you offer and can not wait to order your cook book or books. I am not a very good cook but each item I have made from you has my family very happy.
Thank you,
Corinna
Thank you so much Corinna!! xTieghan
Holy moly this was bursting with flavor! Perfect combination of summer flavors & almost too beautiful to eat!
Thank you so much! xTieghan
Just made one to give away but the glaze is clear vs white with all the lemon juice.
I’m
Confused
Hi Pamela,
I am wondering if you need to add more powdered sugar? Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious and super easy!
Thank you Lisa-Marie!! xTieghan
how would you adjust cooking time and temp if making in small loaf pans?
Hi Megan,
I would keep the temp the same and reduce your baking time by 10-15 minutes but just be sure to keep and eye on them. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could you substitute heavy cream for the sour cream?
Hi Zara,
I would use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I baker this cake this weekend and it was delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
I am really glad it turned out so well for you, Marcela! xTieghan
I make a ton of recipes from HBH’s blog and cookbooks and this is one of the few that has been a disappointment. I made it for my family for Father’s Day yesterday and I was embarrassed to serve it, it was the ugliest cake I’ve ever baked! It didn’t rise much, so it looked like a flat block and had a dense texture. The blueberries and jam swirled on top made it really dark and unattractive looking. The glaze wouldn’t set even though I used twice as much powdered sugar as called for (I think this may have been due to my super humid climate) so the cake ended up sitting in a messy lemon drizzle lake. People did say they liked the taste and went back for seconds, but I didn’t think it tasted that great either. The only modification I made was using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Hey Ann, I am sorry you had trouble. Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of baking this? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details. I don;t think using yogurt would effect much, but maybe you did something else differently?
Again, so sorry for any trouble!
Hope I can help you! xTieghan
This cake is wonderful! While it seems like a lot of steps, it’s super easy and so pretty! I couldn’t find blueberry jam and used preserves instead. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you Julie! xTieghan
I made this for my friend and his son both of whom adore it when I bake for them. I believe my friend said it was delightful and his son was just speechless. I also made it for my mom and she went very quiet too…which means it’s really good and she’s a little jealous she didn’t make it! So thanks for this awesome recipe. I’ll be doing it again!
Aw how sweet! I am really glad they both enjoyed this one, Elaine! Thank you! xTieghan
I made this yesterday and it was amazing! I made some minor changes and it still came out so so so good. Rather than blueberries, I used honey berries which I got at my local farm/orchard because they looked so intriguing. They’re a bit more tart but worked so well in this cake. I only had grape jelly on hand, so I used that. Finally, I didn’t have sour cream but I did have lemon Greek yogurt. All said and done, I would make this over and over again.
I am really glad you enjoyed this so much!! Thank you so much for trying it Adrienne!! xTieghan
This has become a staple recipe in my home. It’s so delicious and perfect summer cake. I added 1/2 cup of raspberries and the rest blueberries. I only had raspberry jam so used that instead. Best cake ever!
Thank you Kat!! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan