Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake (Printer-Friendly)
Zesty lemon cake soaked with blueberry filling, finished with almond cream and toasted sliced almonds.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lemon Cake
01 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tbsp lemon zest
09 - ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice
10 - ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
11 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Blueberry Sauce
12 - 1½ cups (225 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
13 - ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
16 - 2 tbsp water
→ Almond Topping
17 - 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
18 - ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
19 - ½ tsp almond extract
20 - ½ cup (60 g) sliced almonds, toasted
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, whole milk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
05 - Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
06 - While the cake bakes, combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to form a slurry, then stir it into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
07 - Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes across the surface of the cooled cake, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Pour the warm blueberry sauce evenly over the cake, gently guiding it into the holes. Allow the cake to cool completely.
08 - In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and almond extract together until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the fully cooled cake.
09 - Sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds evenly over the whipped cream layer. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The poke technique means every single bite has a burst of blueberry sauce running through it, not just a layer on top.
- That almond extract in the whipped cream is the quiet detail that makes people close their eyes when they take their first bite.
02 -
- Wait until the cake is completely cool before adding the whipped cream or it will melt into a puddle and slide right off the edges.
- The blueberry sauce should still be slightly warm when you pour it over the cake because it seeps into the holes much more easily than cold sauce.
03 -
- Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over low heat, watching them constantly because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
- Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between each slice for perfectly clean cuts that show off those purple pockets.