Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
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If you’re looking for a delicious, seasonal, berry cake recipe to add to your morning-treat repertoire, this buttermilk blueberry breakfast cake is perfect! The batter can be made ahead of time and stashed in the fridge, allowing you to bake the cake off in the morning. What’s more? It freezes beautifully!
Buttermilk is magic. It turns everything into gold: super-moist, super-delicious gold.
This morning I awoke needing a simple, summery, cake-like-but-not-dessert-like breakfast treat. One of Ben’s friends had crashed here last night, and I thought it only appropriate to treat him to a proper breakfast.
In other words, I was craving sugar and carbs. The truth is I’ve been craving sugar and carbs and a cake like this for months. But seriously, who doesn’t need a good, seasonal, berry cake recipe in their morning-treat repertoire?
Nobody. And I think I’ve found the recipe that fits the bill: buttermilk blueberry breakfast cake. On an old photocopied sheet of paper in my mother’s hand writing, I spotted a note: “Baby Boy’s Favorite.”
Oh Baby Boy. Baby Boy is my younger brother, my parents’ favorite child, and one of the most satisfying people to cook for. If it was Baby Boy’s favorite cake, it would soon be mine, too. This cake is delectable! I think you’ll like it, too.
(And if you’re looking for more fruit options, this cake is so good with cranberries.)
PS: Divine Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
Five Favorite Recipes Made with Buttermilk
- One-Bowl Buttermilk Birthday Cake
- Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Simple Rhubarb Compote
- Tartine’s Buttermilk-Blueberry Scones
- Joanne Chang’s Buttermilk Biscuits with Maple and Sea Salt
- One-Bowl Buttermilk Pancakes
Bonus: Favorite Buttermilk Dressing for Slaw
How to Make Buttermilk from Scratch
Scale this recipe up as needed.
- Place 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.
- Fill cup with milk (2% or whole is best) until it reaches the 1/2-cup line.
- Let stand for five minutes. Use as directed.
Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 to 16 pieces
Description
This cake is a long-time family favorite. My mother made it for my siblings and me when we were young, and every time I pull it out of the oven, clichè as it sounds, I am reminded of summer mornings in my childhood kitchen. It’s simple, adaptable, and make aheadable 🙂
Over the years, many questions have been asked, which I’ve answered as best as I can in the comments. I’ve answered a few FAQs in the notes below the recipe as well.
Also, if you’re new here, welcome! You’ve landed on one of the two most popular recipes on Alexandra’s Kitchen, the other being My Mother’s Peasant Bread, which led to the creation of my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs, which includes 40 simple bread recipes and 70+ recipes for eating them up. (If you love baking, you’ll love this no-knead bread.)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons | 4 oz | 113 g ) unsalted butter, room temperature
- zest from 1 large lemon
- 1 cup (214 g) sugar (set aside 1 tablespoon for sprinkling)
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour (set aside 1/4 cup of this to toss with the blueberries)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt (I like 1.25 tsp)
- 2 cups fresh blueberries, picked over
- ½ cup buttermilk, see FAQs below
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Using a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, cream the butter with the lemon zest and the 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter, and stir with spatula to incorporate. Add all of the buttermilk. Stir. Add remaining flour, and stir until flour is absorbed. Fold in the blueberries. (Leave excess flour from the blueberry bowl behind.)
- Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar—I prefer this 8-inch pan because I like the thicker pieces) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. If you have parchment paper on hand, line the pan with parchment on top of the butter. Spread the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the batter with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes — a 9-inch pan will be done in closer to 35 minutes; an 8-inch pan usually needs 40 to 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary, especially if you’re using a smaller pan such as an 8×8-inch. It’s not unusual for this cake to take 50 minutes, so just be patient.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
FAQs
- Can this be made ahead of time? Yes. Prepare the batter, spread it into the prepared baking pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. In the morning, if time permits, bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar, then bake as directed. It may need more time if the batter was refrigerated.
- Can this be doubled? Yes. Bake it in a 9×13-inch pan … like this pan from Pyrex. Increase the baking time but begin checking at the 35 minute mark.
- What if I don’t have buttermilk? Use 2% or whole milk or make your own buttermilk: place 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1/2-cup line. Let stand for five minutes. Use as directed.
- Can this be made gluten free? Yes. I like Cup4Cup and King Arthur Flour gluten-free flour mixes, but use whatever you like, keeping in mind that all gluten-free flours absorb liquid differently, so you may need to adjust to get the batter to the right consistency.
- Should the batter be thick? Yes. As with all baking, I highly recommend using a scale to measure the flour. I have this one, which costs under $11.
- Can I bake this into muffins? Yes. Follow the baking directions on this post.
- Can I use frozen berries? Yes. No need to thaw.
- What other fruit could I use? Really any fresh fruit or berries. Around the winter holidays, I make this cranberry-orange buttermilk breakfast cake.
- Can this be frozen? Made ahead of time? Yes! Let cool completely, then wrap well with plastic wrap or other airtight wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature the night before serving. Reheat at 350ºF for 15 minutes before serving. If you are not freezing it, store it at room temperature for a day. Refrigerate if storing for more than 1 day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
3,553 Comments on “Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake”
Looks so good! I just have to try and make this.
I tried recipe exactly as is replacing with frozen blueberries, it was excellent! I do want to try the orange zest and chocolate chunk version!
Nice! Great to hear this!
I just made this for breakfast. It was awesome. I made it gluten free with Cup 4 Cup flour. How do you store this once it cools? Do you put it in the fridge or leave it out? Thanks.
So great to hear this, Amanda! I always store it at room temperature — it never lasts more than a day or two — but if you want to keep it for longer than say 2 days, I would probably stick it in the fridge.
I am about to make this for a neighbor who just had her first baby! I’d pinned this forever ago and thought it would be perfect for a new mom treat. Anyway, when looking for it I came across another food blog that has used your exact recipe and even styled their photos in a similar fashion (except they did it 4 years after you did). I just wanted to say Thank You for the recipe and obviously you’re inspiring people all over the place!
Oh, Kerry, thank you for your nice comment. I hope the cake turned out well… you are a sweet neighbor 🙂
looks good hope taste good too
Do you think this recipe would work if I used gluten free flour?
Yes! I like Cup 4 Cup, but it is expensive. There are so many great gluten-free mixes on the market right now.
I just used Namaste gf all purpose flour. The batter was very, very thick. I added maybe another 1/4 cup of buttermilk, then still needed to press the batter into my baking dish. It’s baking now-hope it turns out! I figure a swig or two of coffee for every bite should do the trick if it ends up too dry. ?
Please report back! The batter is on the thick side, so I am hopeful for you!
can this be made and then freeze then bake?
I don’t know! Freezing the raw batter worries me, but it definitely can be refrigerated before baking.
I was thinking of making this for a group of friends. I am also GF and use theNamaste flour. How did it end up turning out and do you recommend any adjustments to the original recipe?? TIA!!
This recipe is great. I have to try it
Alexandra, I’ve made this recipe several times since I first saw it a few years ago. First, thank you for sharing it, it is fantastic! I’ve also played with it a bit. I generally make it in a preheated cast iron skillet. I have also made it with different fruit combinations. Raspberry with orange zest is very good but a bit more tart. I have also made it around Thanksgiving with cranberry and orange. The cranberry one may need a tiny bit more liquid because they don’t have as much water as the blueberries but the flavor is excellent. Once again thank you for a great recipe. I’m thinking that Apple pieces with cinnamon instead of the zest might be another good combo also.
Hi Steve,
Thanks so much for writing in with all of this! I love all of these suggestions and ideas. I can’t believe I’ve never tried a cinnamon variation yet…just the thought of that makes me look forward to fall. Thanks for the tip about the liquid too re cranberry orange—makes sense. Thanks!
I made a variation using plums, with orange juice for the zest. I split the plums in half (removed the seed), and then added an additional 1/4 cup of flour because the plums were rather juicy. Turned out delicious!
So happy to hear this, Madison!
Just made this with just a few tweaks and it is tasty. I had 5 Tbsp left on a stick of butter so I added the extra 3 of coconut oil and cut the sugar to 1/2 cup. I also added the juice from the lemon I zested because the batter was so thick. It was still extremely thick and sticky, but I prefer the upped lemon flavor. My main problem is that there are too many blueberries and the cake will hardly hold together. I used fresh blueberries my sister had picked so they were pretty fat, and this might be the problem. I could’ve probably gone with just 1 cup. This may also have added to why my cake had to baked the full 45 min.
Hi! Just wanted to stop by to say that I’ve made this recipe many times with great success. Today I doubled it and LOADED it with frozen cherries and fresh peaches–probably 6 cups of fruit. I was worried that the batter wouldn’t hold all the fruit but it did! I had to cook it about 75 minutes (maybe more) but it stayed moist and was delicious. I served it with vanilla ice cream for a post-BBQ dessert.
Yum!! Sounds so good, Erin. Love the idea of loading this up with ALL the fruit 🙂
Made this over the weekend for my wife to take and share with coworkers – received rave reviews. Stuck to the recipe as listed except increase the quantities by 50% so I could use a 9×13 pan. (example 2 cups became 3 cups)
So great to hear this, Dave! Love this one this time of year.
I would like to double this recipe to make in a 9 x 13. How long did you cook it?
Hi Carolyn, I have been using this recipe for a while and it’s almost always for a bigger group so I do the 9X13. I cook it the same amount of time! 42 minutes worked great for me today. Hope that helps!
This is an amazing recipe! I made it last night and brought it in for a breakfast potluck with some fco-workers. THEY LOVED IT!! One of them said I am not allowed to ever change the recipe, as she raised her hands, waved them side to side and danced after her second bite!!! Even my husband, who hates bluberries, loved it! Especially how moist it was. I too increased the quantities just a smidge to fit a 9×13 pan. Thanks for the recipe!
I just made this for the 3rd time in two weeks, so I guess you could say I like it!! This stuff is awesome… and it is even tastier and seems moister after it sits overnight or the next day. I made it for my husband to take to his friends at work and he reported that one of the guys came over to his desk just to tell him “it was the best stuff he had ever put in his mouth”. It is pretty good and I know it will be one of my favorite treats to make when blueberries are fresh off the bush each year. The only tricky thing for me has been trying to make sure it was cooked all the way in the middle. Had that problem each time but so far I have trusted the toothpick test and it has been fine.
I made this for a brunch and it was wonderful! I squeezed the juice from the zested lemon into the batter as well, and it gave it a nice bright flavor. My husband is planning to make it for a work potluck too since it was so good!
So happy to hear this, Marny! Love the idea of adding some juice into the batter.
Made this for our Fourth of July breakfast this morning. I love how well you explained everything – especially how to do the buttermilk as I never have that in the house. This was absolutely fabulous, thanks for sharing! <3
So happy to hear this, Kathryn! And I’m so glad you found the homemade buttermilk tip useful. Hope you had a Happy Fourth!
Hi there,not to sure I understand the amount of sugar or the amount of buttermilk needed, the way it is written. Could you please explain this – thanks.
Sorry about that! I restyled my recipe boxes, so things are a little wacky. All fixed now. Let me know if it’s still unclear.
I have frozen peach slices. Do I toss them in flour, like the blueberries?
Yes!
Can you substitute frozen blueberries?
Yes! No need to thaw. Toss with the flour as instructed. Good luck!
I am looking for a brunch recipe to make for an out of town wedding weekend. If I make this on a Friday, will it still be good for the brunch on Sunday?
Hi Lisa,
I worry about making this that far ahead — it definitely tastes best fresh. Are you able to prepare the batter Saturday evening and bake it off Sunday morning?
Just made this cake and it is amazing!! Thanks for sharing!
So happy to hear this!
Shouldn’t recipe read : cream butter with 3/4 c sugar? It says 7/8’s. But then later mentions using “remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar”.
Hi Bob! I think it’s written right — it says: sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. So you should cream the butter with 7/8 cup sugar.
Anyone try this in a Bundt pan?
To answer my own question. I made it in a Bundt pan…it was so amazing! Beyond delicious. Light, fluffy texture …a big hit with my family & friends
Sue, you’re funny, I love it, thanks so much for reporting back and answering your own question 🙂 🙂 🙂 I am a huge fan of bundt cakes. In just a few months, this apple sauce – yogurt bundt will be making regular appearances: https://alexandracooks.com/2013/11/22/applesauce-yogurt-cake-homemade-applesauce/
Made this last weekend and it was absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try different seasonal variations. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
So happy to hear this, Kate! This is one of my favorite seasonal variations: cranberry orange.
A friend gave me this recipe last week. I went blueberry picking with my daughter, and I was looking for something to bring to my parent’s for a week long stay. It was a huge hit! And I have already made my second one when I returned back home. Second time I used store-bought blueberries, but both times it turned out AMAZING! Will definitely bring to my next morning/afternoon “bring-a-dish get together”.
I jusr made this; having a hard time getting it cooked all the way. I ll let you know how it turns out. It is still in the oven taking longer then 45 min not sure why.
I made this the other night and it’s a keeper for sure. I read all the reviews and that sold me in giving it a try. As I have an abundance of fresh. Blueberries I’d like to know if anyone has frozen it and how it was after thawing. I’d like to make it and freeze to take on a camping trip.
I will try this but sorry to hear you pr parents had a favourite child.
Hello, mine was very crumbly , wondering if to use all purpose flour or self rising ?
Hi,
Hi just love this cake!!!
I was wondering if you could use this
recipe to make regular muffins or mini
muffins. Thanks again for the recipe!!
Lisa
Has anyone tried this with lime zest? Going to make a double batch today, made it last week was so very delish! I’ll let you all know how the lime zest works o ut!