Easy Dessert

Lemon and berry sour cream layer cake

Name: Lemon and berry sour cream layer cake recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 210g unsalted butter, softened; 180g caster sugar; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 150g sour cream, at room temperature; 250g self-raising flour; 30g cornflour, sifted; 40.00 ml lemon juice; 1kg mix of fresh blueberries and blackberries, to decorate; 250.00 ml each frozen blueberries; 55g caster sugar; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 80g unsalted butter, softened; 60g sour cream; 250g icing sugar, sifted; 3 tsp lemon juice; Purple food colouring

2 ratings

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Lemon and berry sour cream cake — Brett Stevens

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Jun 18, 2026

This stunning cake looks so impressive, but is actually very simple to make. Start with a luscious sour cream and lemon cake. Fill it with a tangy berry compote, and cover everything with a creamy purple lemon frosting. There’s no need to stress about getting the icing perfect, as you cover every inch with fresh berries. Et voilà!

Credit: Brett Stevens

This is the perfect cake for any special occasion, and will also make the perfect centrepiece for your table when entertaining. Feel free to get as creative as you like with the berry decorations, or even switch out blueberries and blackberries for your own favourite berries – just remember that you may not want to use purple icing if you’re not decorating with purple and blue berries.

You’ll need a 20cm round cake pan for this recipe.

Credit: Brett Stevens

210g unsalted butter, softened
180g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs, at room temperature
150g sour cream, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups (250g) self-raising flour, sifted
30g cornflour, sifted
2 tbs lemon juice
1kg mix of fresh blueberries and blackberries, to decorate

Berry compote

1 cup each frozen blueberries and blackberries
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Sour cream frosting

80g unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
250g icing sugar, sifted
3 tsp lemon juice
Purple food colouring

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm round cake pan and line the base and side with baking paper.
2.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar and zest until thick and pale. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream and flours until combined. Add juice and stir until combined.
3.

Spoon into prepared pan. Level surface with a spatula and bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4.

Meanwhile, make the berry compote. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer for 7-8 minutes, until thickened. Set aside to cool completely.
5.

For the frosting, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until pale. Add sour cream and beat until combined. Add sugar and beat until combined. Beat in juice until combined. Add a few drops of purple food colouring and beat until fully integrated, adding a little more colouring if needed.
6.

To assemble, using a large serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the top half of the cake with the domed top facing up on a board (see recipe notes) and spoon over the compote, leaving a 0.5cm edge all around. Top with remaining cake, pressing down. Cover the cake with the frosting, then press the fresh berries into the frosting to fully cover, decorating as you please.
7.

Serve cut into slices.

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Recipe Notes

Once baked, the cake will have a slight domed top. When assembling, use the cake half with the domed top facing upwards as your base. This way, the top of your assembled cake will have a flat surface.

You can make the cake a day ahead. Store in a container in the fridge and bring to room temperature to serve.

Leftovers will last, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.