Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, grease and flour three 8x2 inch round cake pans. Three layers will give you slightly shorter layers but more filling per slice.

In a medium sized bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to blend, set aside.

In another bowl or measuring cup add the sour cream, lemon juice and zest, vanilla and lemon extract. Blend with a fork and set aside

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually ad the sugar and beat on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until it is lightened in color and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

Add the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of wet). Mix until combined and smooth, do not mix above medium speed or over mix.

Toss the blueberries in 1 Tablespoon flour and gently fold into the cake batter. The cake batter is very thick. Divide the batter between the 3 pans smoothing the tops with the back of a spoon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let the cakes cool 5 to 10 minutes then turn out.

Makes 7 cups cake batter

(This recipe works well for cupcakes too)

To a saucepan add the above ingredients and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase to medium heat and cook until the mixture is reduced a bit. Cool the syrup before using in the buttercream. It can be refrigerated 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BLUEBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Cream the softened butter until smooth. Blend in the vanilla.

Gradually add the powdered sugar and blueberry syrup until the powdered sugar is incorporated . Mix on medium speed 4 to 6 minutes or until smooth. Slowing the mixer down to a low speed setting during the last minute of mixing helps to eliminate air pockets.

Makes 6 cups frosting

Cut butter into ½ inch slices and add to the bowl of your mixer, beat until smooth.

Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, beating until blended.

Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. ½ teaspoon lemon extract, (optional) for a stronger lemon flavor.

Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until well blended.

This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly and remix. Do not microwave to soften.

Place the first layer on your pedestal or cake base. Pipe a dam of blueberry buttercream about ¼ inch within the edge of your cake layer and fill with lemon cream cheese frosting.

Add next layer and repeat.

Frost the cake with blueberry buttercream. I like to apply a thin crumb coat layer first, and then follow either with a second layer of frosting, or with piping as I did in today's cake. I used a star tip 21 to create the piped designs. Due to the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be refrigerated until within a few hours of serving.