Lighter Lemon and Blueberry Cake

“My new favorite go-to dessert! It’s delicious, low in sugar and fat, and super easy to make. My whole family was surprised how tasty it is without being overly sweet. Highly recommend!”

★★★★★

This highly adaptable, lighter lemon and blueberry cake is a perfect choice for anyone looking for a healthier yet delicious dessert. Featuring a fresh, tangy lemon glaze, this cake strikes a beautiful balance between sweetness and citrusy brightness.

It’s naturally gluten-free, but can easily be made with regular all-purpose or spelt flour if you prefer. With less fat and reduced sugar, this cake doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture. It’s light, moist, and wonderfully satisfying without feeling overly indulgent. Whether you’re following a gluten-free lifestyle or simply looking for a lighter treat, this cake is sure to become a go-to favorite.

Plus, its versatility makes it easy to adapt with different fruit combinations or even a dairy-free option for those with additional dietary needs.

Continuing my healthier baking stretch, this time I’m sharing a lemon and blueberry cake that has become one of my most popular recipes. When I first shared it, I didn’t expect it to gain as much love as it has, but I’m so happy it has. I absolutely love creating cakes that are better for you, without compromising on taste.

It’s always so satisfying to make a treat that not only tastes fantastic but is also a little bit lighter than your usual cake.

Making great cakes with less butter and sugar

Cakes with less butter and sugar can be tricky to perfect. There’s a reason why we often add generous amounts of both. They play crucial roles in achieving the texture, flavor, and overall success of a cake. Baking, at its core, is a delicate chemical reaction, and when you start altering key ingredients like sugar and butter, the results can be very different from what you might expect.

Sugar, for example, isn’t just there to sweeten a cake. It has an essential function in the overall structure and moisture of the baked good. When sugar melts in the oven, it helps retain moisture, preventing cakes from drying out. It also contributes to the soft texture that we all love. Without enough sugar, cakes often turn out dry, crumbly, and lacking in that tender, melt-in-the-mouth feel.

Butter, too, plays a critical role in cake-making. It’s not just about richness or flavor; butter also helps create a light, airy texture by trapping air during mixing, which helps the cake rise. When you remove butter, the cake can become much denser, and you lose that soft, velvety crumb. The richness and mouthfeel that butter provides are hard to replicate with other ingredients.

That said, it’s possible to make delicious cakes with less sugar and butter. It just takes a little more finesse and creativity. You’ll need to find substitutes or make other adjustments to keep the cake moist, tender, and flavorful without compromising on the final texture. It’s a balancing act, but with the right tweaks, you can enjoy cakes that are a bit lighter without sacrificing taste.

How Greek yoghurt helps provide moisture in cakes

This lemon and blueberry cake is a perfect example of how you can reduce those ingredients without sacrificing flavor or texture. One of the key ingredients that helps achieve this is Greek yoghurt. It’s a game-changer when it comes to baking with less butter and sugar, offering both moisture and a little extra magic to the final product.

Greek yoghurt not only adds moisture to cakes, but it also helps to keep them tender and soft. When you reduce butter and sugar, you can often end up with a cake that dries out too quickly, but Greek yoghurt is excellent at compensating for that moisture loss. It keeps the cake moist for longer, ensuring that each bite stays soft and fluffy.

What’s more, Greek yoghurt brings a subtle tanginess to baked goods that’s particularly wonderful in cakes like this lemon and blueberry one. That tang balances the sweetness and adds a layer of complexity to the flavor. But it’s not just about taste. Greek yoghurt also plays a functional role. It activates the baking soda in the recipe, helping to create a lighter, airier texture. This means you get a fluffier cake without having to rely on extra butter or sugar to achieve the same result.

Additionally, Greek yoghurt is a great lower-fat alternative to other ingredients like sour cream, which are often used to add moisture and richness in cakes. It provides that same creamy texture and tang, but with less fat and fewer calories. So not only does Greek yoghurt help in the texture and taste department, but it also makes your cake a little bit healthier, without compromising on the quality of the final result.

Substitutions for gluten free flour

This recipe is an adaptation of my tried, tested, and much-loved orange drizzle loaf. While I’ve used gluten-free flour in this version, it can easily be made with regular (plain) flour or spelt flour, depending on what you prefer or have on hand. The great thing about this recipe is its versatility; simply swap it out for whichever flour suits your needs.

When making substitutions, it’s important to know that gluten-free flours behave a little differently than their gluten-containing counterparts. Gluten plays a crucial role in the structure and texture of baked goods. It provides elasticity and helps trap air, which is why cakes made with gluten-free flour blends can sometimes have a denser or more crumbly texture than those made with all-purpose or even spelt flour.

That said, modern gluten-free flour blends are incredibly advanced and can yield great results, but the texture may still vary slightly from cakes made with regular flour. The flour blend I used in this recipe contains a mix of rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour, which works well in many baked goods, though it might not quite match the fluffiness and rise you’d get with traditional flour.

If you’re not following a gluten-free diet but want to use all-purpose flour, you’ll get a slightly different texture that’s a bit lighter and more tender, with the signature soft crumb that comes from using all-purpose flour. Spelt flour, which I love for its mild, slightly nutty flavor, provides a unique texture that’s similar to wheat flour but with a bit more depth. Whatever flour you choose, feel free to adapt the recipe to your preferences, but just keep in mind that the texture and rise may vary depending on the flour you use.

Try other fruit combos

While this recipe features the classic pairing of lemon and blueberries, one of the best things about it is how adaptable it is. You can easily swap these fruits for other options to create a whole new flavor profile. Whether you prefer a sweeter, more tropical cake or something with a richer, earthier flavor, there are endless possibilities to experiment with!

For a fruity twist, try substituting the blueberries with raspberries or blackberries. These berries offer a slightly tangier flavor, which pairs beautifully with the fresh zest of lemon. If you’re after a more tropical vibe, swap the blueberries for chunks of mango or pineapple, which will add a burst of sweetness and moisture. Another fantastic option is using strawberries. Just chop them into small pieces to ensure they bake evenly throughout the cake.

Stepping things up a notch, why not consider adding a swirl of fresh, ripe peaches or nectarines to the batter, or even a combination of dried fruits like figs and apricots for a more complex, warm flavor. For a different take, you could also try pairing the lemon with a nutty addition, like finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts, for a more textured bite.

No matter which fruit combination you choose, the recipe remains flexible. Just keep in mind that different fruits have different moisture levels, so you may need to adjust the baking time slightly depending on the fruit you select. But no matter what, you’re sure to end up with a delicious, fresh cake that’s perfect for any season.

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Lighter apple streusel cake

Cinnamon and chocolate spelt cake

Brown sugar blueberry muffins

Spelt coconut chocolate cake

Honey and cinnamon cake

Fresh pineapple cake

Cinnamon & chocolate banana cake

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5 from 1 vote

Lemon and Blueberry Cake (GF, low fat, reduced sugar)

Ingredients

Cake:

• 50g (¼ cup) brown sugar
• 3 eggs (medium)
• 2 tbs honey
• 3 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 60ml (¼ cup) Greek yoghurt
• 60ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
• 140g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) gluten free flour blend (see note 1)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 75g (¾ cup) blueberries (see note 2)

Glaze:

• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs icing sugar

Instructions

Cake:

• Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (350ºF).
• Whisk the sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy.
• Add the honey, lemon juice, vanilla, yoghurt and oil, and beat until smooth.
• Sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder together and add to the wet ingredients, stirring well.
• Lastly, gently stir in the blueberries (see note 2).
• Pour into a prepared loaf tin - mine was 25cm x 12cm (9¾" x 4¾") and bake for around 30-40 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, just place a sheet of foil over the top.
• Leave to cool in the tin for a while, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Glaze:

• While still warm, mix the sugar and lemon juice for the glaze.
• With a knife, gently poke holes in the top of the cake and pour the glaze over. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

 

This recipe was originally created for my former blog, The Culinary Jumble. The recipe, post and images have all been updated slightly since then. 

1. The original recipe called for gluten free flour. However, if you'd like to use spelt or regular flour instead, just do a straight swap. 
2. I used frozen blueberries, but you can use fresh. Alternatively, use another kind of berry (raspberries or blackberries would be awesome).

 

I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. Although I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not made this recipe with imperial measurements.

 

 

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