Easy Fresh Blueberry Cake With a Cake Mix

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 10/13/20
Blueberry poundcake a la mode
Richard Jung / Getty Images
  • Total: 65 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 55 mins
  • Servings: 12 servings

With just a few extra ingredients, you can turn an ordinary cake mix into a memorable dessert. A yellow cake mix is combined with sour cream, lemon juice, and blueberries to make a picture-perfect bundt cake. The cake has plenty of flavor on its own, but you can add a sweet lemon glaze and decorate with fresh blueberries if desired.

The key to success when using a bundt pan is to thoroughly grease every crevice of the pan, not leaving pools or chunks of butter behind. Completely cover with flour and tap out all of the excess before adding the batter.

This easy blueberry cake is made with a yellow cake mix, but feel free to use a lemon cake mix for more lemon flavor. Thanks to the sour cream, oil, and eggs, this cake is moist and delicious. The blueberries give the cake excellent flavor and leaves beautiful polka dots throughout the cake. 

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup canola oil (or corn, safflower, or vegetable oil)
  • 2 lemons (juiced and zested; zest finely grated and about 1/4 cup total juice)
  • 1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix (with pudding in the mix)
  • 2 cups blueberries (fresh)
  • Optional Garnish: powdered sugar, vanilla glaze, or lemon sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Grease and flour a 10 to 12-cup Bundt cake pan or 10-inch tube cake pan. Preheat the oven to 325 F for a dark pan or 350 F for a light-colored pan.

  3. Add the eggs and sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light.

  4. Beat in the sour cream, oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Continue beating until smooth.

  5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly blend in the cake mix. Turn the mixer to high and beat until well blended.

  6. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula or wooden spoon.

  7. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.

  8. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.

  9. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with a vanilla glaze or lemon sauce (if using).

Recipe Variations

  • Swap the yellow cake mix for vanilla, French vanilla, or lemon cake mix. Just make sure to use the "pudding in the mix" variety.
  • Fresh, firm raspberries or blackberries can be used in place of the blueberries. Fold them into the batter carefully to keep them from breaking apart too much.

Tips

  • If you toss the berries in a small amount of flour before folding them into the batter, they are less likely to sink.
  • If you're using frozen berries, do not defrost them and toss with a small amount of flour before folding them into the batter.