Pioneer Woman Lemon-Blueberry Sheet Cake

This lemon-blueberry sheet cake is made with a moist, oil-based lemon cake and a blueberry buttercream, baked flat in a sheet pan to feed a crowd. It’s zesty, sweet, and quick. It takes about 1 hour 50 minutes and serves 12 to 16.

Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers before anything else. That releases the oils in the zest so the lemon runs through the whole cake instead of sitting in patches. Oil keeps the crumb soft even after it cools.

The frosting gets its color and flavor from blueberry preserves beaten into the butter, no food coloring. Bake the cake only 16 to 18 minutes, since a thin sheet cake cooks fast. Let it cool completely before frosting or the buttercream slides right off.

Pioneer Woman Lemon-Blueberry Sheet Cake

Author: Hamdi Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

This lemon-blueberry sheet cake pairs a moist, oil-based lemon cake with a blueberry buttercream, baked in a sheet pan and built to feed a crowd.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• Cooking spray
  
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
  
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup vegetable oil
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Frosting:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1/3 cup blueberry preserves, at room temperature
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  
• 4 cups powdered sugar
  
• 1 (6 oz) container blueberries

Instructions

1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest, working the zest into the sugar with your fingers. Add the eggs and whisk until foamy and lighter in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the oil, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon juice. Gradually stir in the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, whisking well after each addition.
   
2. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack, at least 1 hour.
   
3. For the frosting: Beat the butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the preserves and lemon juice and beat on low until just combined, 30 seconds. Increase to medium and beat until the butter and preserves are well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low until combined. Scrape down the bowl, increase to medium, and beat until smooth and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
   
4. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Top with the blueberries.

FAQs

Why do I rub the lemon zest into the sugar?

Working the zest into the sugar with your fingers presses out its oils, which carry most of the lemon flavor. That spreads the lemon evenly through the batter instead of leaving it concentrated in flecks. Do it before you add anything wet.

Why use oil instead of butter in the cake?

Oil stays liquid at room temperature, so the cake stays moist and soft after it cools. Butter sets firm when cold and makes a denser crumb. For a sheet cake that sits out at a potluck, oil keeps it tender longer.

How does the frosting get its blueberry color?

From blueberry preserves beaten straight into the butter, not food coloring. Beat the butter smooth first, then add the preserves so they blend in evenly. The result is a soft purple buttercream with real fruit flavor.

Why does it bake for only 16 to 18 minutes?

A sheet cake is thin and spread wide, so it cooks much faster than a deep cake. Check it at 16 minutes with a toothpick. Overbaking a thin cake dries it out fast, so pull it as soon as the center comes clean.

What other blueberry desserts feed a crowd?

Plenty. If you need to feed a group, try my Blueberry Cobbler baked in a 9×13 dish, or my make-ahead Blueberry Crumble with its buttery oat topping.