Blueberry Breakfast Cake
A tender buttermilk-based breakfast cake studded with tart blueberries, baked in under an hour with one bowl and no mixer. The crumb stays soft for days, making it perfect for weekend brunch or weekday mornings.
Equipment
- 9-inch square baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing berries)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping (optional)
- 1 tablespoon raw or turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over two opposite sides. Lightly grease the exposed pan sides and the parchment.
- Toss the berries: Place 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl, add the blueberries, and toss gently until every berry is lightly dusted. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined, about 20 seconds.
- Whisk wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth and pale yellow, like a thin milkshake.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula just until the flour disappears — about 10 to 12 strokes. A few small lumps are fine; overmixing makes the cake tough.
- Fold in berries: Gently fold the floured blueberries into the batter with the spatula, using as few strokes as possible — about 5 or 6 folds. Stop as soon as the berries are distributed.
- Transfer to pan: Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle raw sugar over the top if using.
- Bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes. Start checking at 30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If using frozen berries, expect the longer end of the range.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then lift the cake out using the parchment overhang and let it cool completely on the rack — about 20 more minutes — before slicing.
Notes
Storage: Wrap tightly in plastic or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months: wrap in plastic then foil. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. Tips: Don't overmix — lumpy batter gives a tender crumb. Always flour the berries (even frozen) to prevent sinking and bleeding. Let the cake cool completely before slicing for best texture. Substitutions: For dairy-free: use oat or almond milk with lemon juice instead of buttermilk, and melted coconut oil for butter. For gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend (with xanthan gum). For lemon-blueberry: add zest of 1 lemon and replace 1 tbsp buttermilk with lemon juice. For a fancy version: drizzle a lemon glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp lemon juice) over the cooled cake.