A tender vanilla cake marbled with tangy cheesecake and bursts of juicy blueberries, this bake unites the comfort of a buttery crumb with the elegance of a cheesecake—no water bath required. It is equally at home on a brunch table or as a refined dessert with coffee.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Two desserts in one – classic butter cake meets creamy cheesecake in every slice.
Simple, familiar ingredients – no speciality tools or obscure items.
Eye-catching presentation – the violet swirls look impressive yet are effortless to create.
Versatile – delightful warm, room-temperature, or chilled, making it perfect for advance entertaining.
Balanced sweetness – the natural tartness of blueberries keeps the cake from becoming cloying.

Ingredients

(Tip: You can find the complete list of ingredients and their measurements in the recipe card below.)

For the blueberry cake batter
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs, room temperature
- Whole milk, room temperature
- Pure vanilla extract
- Finely grated lemon zest
- Fresh blueberries (or frozen, unthawed)
For the cheesecake swirl
- Full-fat cream cheese, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg
- Pure vanilla extract

Directions

Prepare the oven and pan – Preheat to 180 °C (350 °F). Grease and line a 23 cm × 13 cm (9 × 5 in) loaf tin or an 20 cm (8 in) square pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy removal.
Make the cheesecake mixture – In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla; mix until fully blended and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients – Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Cream butter and sugar – In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and lemon zest.
Combine – Add dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with milk, mixing on low just until the batter is smooth. Fold in blueberries with a spatula.
Layer and swirl – Spread half the cake batter into the prepared pan. Dollop half the cheesecake mixture over it. Repeat layers, then drag a thin knife or skewer through the batters in a gentle figure-eight motion to create swirls.
Bake – Bake until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the cake portion (not the cheesecake) emerges clean, 50–60 minutes. Tent loosely with foil after 40 minutes if browning too quickly.
Cool – Leave in the tin 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. For neater layers, chill 1 hour before serving.

Servings and timing

Yield	Prep	Bake	Cooling	Total
8–10 slices	20 min	50–60 min	1 h (mostly unattended)	~1 h 40 min

Variations

Berry swap – Substitute raspberries, blackberries, or diced strawberries (pat dry) in equal measure.
Citrus twist – Replace lemon zest with orange zest and add ½ tsp orange extract to the cheesecake layer.
Gluten-free – Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend; check it contains xanthan gum for structure.
Lighter option – Swap half the butter for unsweetened applesauce; crumb will be slightly softer.
Mini loaves – Divide batter among four 5 × 3 in mini loaf tins; bake 28–32 minutes.

Storage/Reheating

Refrigerate – Because of the cream cheese layer, store the cooled cake, wrapped, in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Freeze – Wrap individual slices in plastic and foil; freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat – Enjoy chilled, room temperature, or warm slices briefly in a 150 °C (300 °F) oven for 8–10 minutes; microwave is discouraged as it softens the crumb unevenly.

FAQs

1. Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes. Add them straight from the freezer and increase baking time by 3–4 minutes if necessary.

2. Why did my cheesecake layer sink?

Over-mixing can thin the cake batter; keep folding gentle so the heavier cheesecake layer remains suspended.

3. Is low-fat cream cheese acceptable?

Full-fat is strongly recommended for stability and flavour; low-fat may yield a wetter, less distinct swirl.

4. Can I bake this in a bundt pan?

You can; grease a 10-cup bundt thoroughly, pour half the batter, spoon cheesecake mixture, top with remaining batter, and bake 55–65 minutes.

5. How do I know when it is done?

Insert a skewer into the cake portion; moist crumbs are fine, but no wet batter should appear.

6. My blueberries sank. How can I prevent this?

Lightly toss berries in a teaspoon of flour before folding into the batter to help them stay suspended.

7. May I reduce the sugar?

You can safely reduce sugar in the cake batter by up to 20 %; reducing in the cheesecake layer may affect texture.

8. Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Bake the day before, cool, cover, and refrigerate. Flavours meld and the swirl sets, making cleaner slices.

9. Is lemon zest essential?

It brightens the flavour but the cake is still delicious without it; consider substituting ¼ tsp almond extract for complexity.

10. How do I transport this cake?

Chill until firm, wrap the loaf tightly in parchment and foil, and carry in a cooler bag if travelling longer than 1 hour.

Conclusion

Blueberry Cheesecake Swirl Cake offers the pleasure of two classics in a single, deceptively simple bake. With straightforward steps, common pantry staples, and adaptable variations, it is an elegant addition to any occasion—guaranteed to impress with its marbled interior and balanced flavours.