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”
It went from my oven, to taking a bite to right down the drain! It was awful!! Way to thick!
Found this on Pinterest. Made it for Christmas breakfast (for 14) and it was a huge hit! Everybody was asking for the recipe. Have forwarded them your site! Thanks!!!
I am certainly new to this whole domestic baking thing and wanted to give it a try, but so far, I don’t think I made it correctly.. my batter doesn’t look like batter at all.. its very very thick and dry? Where did I go wrong?? I think if you posted pictures along the way.. what the butter with sugar and vanilla look like, once it’s all mixed together and ready for the pan..? For people like me who need to know if they are on the right track.. I’m about to put it in the oven.. **Crosses fingers** we’ll see….! Maybe it’s supposed to look like this???
Thanks for posting! Please help!
Just made this today and it was amazing!!! Thanks!!!
VERY YUMMY!!!! Tried it this morning and it was a hit with my family.
MMM!! Just made this for our New Years Day breakfast and it was so delicious! There were lot’s of “yums” being said at the table. I will be putting this recipe in with my favorites! Thanks for sharing this one!! It was perfect:)))
Colleen, this makes me very happy! Thanks for writing in!
7/8th cup ???
Who has a 1/8th cup? Help?
1/8th cup is 2 tablespoons
This looks so good. How do you think is would be with blackberries?
Hi Dee — I think it would work great with blackberries. I think my only worry is that blackberries might turn the cake purple because they tend to be a bit more fragile than blueberries. Would you agree? I don’t think that would adversely affect the flavor, however, so I say go for it! Report back if you make any discoveries.
I made this for Christmas breakfast and it was devine! Served it up for dessert with icecream later in the day.
Lisa — this makes me so happy!
I’m going to make this and eat the shit out of it.
Thank you.
Haha, Jeremy, you’re funny. I hope you do.
What is 7/8 cup?
Nickie,
7/8 cup is equal to 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
if 7/8 cup is 2 tablespoons and the recipe asks for 7/8 cup plus 1 tablespoon…why doesn’t the recipe just say 3 tablespoons???
Hi Carmen,
I think Melanie has answered your questions. Let me know if you have any others!
Look at the recipe closely – you will notice that the 7/8 cup goes IN the batter, the extra 1 tablespoon goes on TOP after you put it in the pan….
7/8 cup is 3/4 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons
Thanks, Melanie, for clarifying!
7/8 cup is not 2 Tablespoons…. so if it calls for 7/8 cup plus 1 Tablespoon then it’s 15 Tablespoons. 1/8 c = 2 T
Tried this yesterday and didn’t like it. You could taste the flour. In defense of the recipe I will say that I think I over mixed the butter/sugar mixture because the butter started to separate. That may have thrown off the whole thing because mine was everything but light and fluffy. Not a bad taste but I wouldn’t make this again.
Could it be made with frozen blueberries?
Can I make it with frozen blueberries instead?
Hi Veronica, I think Patricia answered your question already. Let me know if you have any other questions!
You can absolutely make this with frozen blueberries! Just DO NOT thaw them and skip the flour coating step. In my experience it doesn’t really help them from sinking anyway.
If the berries collected any ice just pluck it off. Do not take them out of the freezer till it’s time to fold them in. I am blessed to have blueberry bushes at my home and they are a staple in my freezer 🙂 love them.
Thanks for the tips on using frozen berries Patricia!
I made these yesterday & I would have loved this cake, but the lemon zest took over the whole flavor profile. I will try again, but will omit the lemon zest. The texture and look of this cake was awesome!
Made this today. It was delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely fantastic. Thank you for sharing your family recipe. I know my family will enjoy if for years to come. My son said, “Delicious! My mouth is overflowing with flavor!” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
That’s awesome, Angie. Thanks!
Made this Christmas morning for Breakfast and it was wonderful! Everyone oohs and awws over it!! Super easy to follow recipe and instructions. Mine turned out exactly like the pics and as it should. I used more than 2 cups blueberries and it was divine 🙂
This makes me very happy, Melany. Thanks for writing in!
forgot to mention that I didn’t have lemons but, I had limes so used a little lime zest instead of lemon zest and it was great even still! I’m making it again tonight and again don’t have fresh lemons so, I’m using lemon juice. Hope it’s as good as the first time.
these look great! can’t wait to try them. my question might be silly, but do you use all purpose flour? i’m still pretty new to the baking/cooking scene and don’t want to mess it up!
Lynnsey — not silly at all. Yes, all-purpose flour is what I use!
Delicious! I made it with white whole wheat flour, frozen blueberries, and no lemon zest (forgot to buy a lemon), and it was amazing!
Could you make a youtube video on how to make this? I love tutorials with pics or videos… helps me understand since I am new to using a kitchen at all, thanks!
this is in the oven right now!!! i could have just eaten the batter, but i decided to finish baking it. can’t wait for the finished product!! nom!
What an awesome recipe!!! This is a keeper! Made it last night with frozen blueberries and it exceeded my expectations. Only a few pieces left for breakfast…that says it all! Thankyou!!!
Can I use self-rising flour?
Stacey — I’ve never tried, but I am sure it will work. Obviously, I would omit the baking powder in the recipe. Also, I’m not that familiar with self-rising flour — does it already contain salt? If so, adjust the additional amount of salt you add or maybe. Report back if you make any discoveries. I used to use self-rising flour all the time for a beer bread recipe I had, and it was great to have on hand. I’m just not so sure how to substitute it for all-purpose.