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Blueberry Cake

Lovely blueberry cake recipe, simple single layer cake made with two cups of fresh blueberries.

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Elise Bauer
Updated February 05, 2021
Elise Bauer
Blueberry Cake
Elise Bauer

Have an abundance of blueberries? When they are in season you really have to enjoy them while you can, right? Here is a lovely blueberry cake that makes the most of fresh blueberries (though you can use frozen if you want).

In fact, it almost seems like there is more blueberry than cake in this cake; that's a problem I can live with!

Often times the issue with blueberries in baked goods is that they sink to the bottom of whatever you are baking. Coating the blueberries with flour helps keep them suspended, but still there's always the risk of berry sinkage.

Blueberry Cake
Elise Bauer

We take advantage of gravity in this cake by scattering the berries on top of the batter, and letting them sink if they will while they bake. The result is that at least half of the berries float at the top of the cake, the rest swimming somewhere below. Gorgeous!

Blueberry Cake

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (130 g) all purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon of flour (plus more for prepping cake pan)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz, 113 g, 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (160 g) sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
  • 2 cups (325 g) blueberries, rinsed and drained (if using frozen blueberries, thaw and drain first)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Method

  1. Preheat oven and prepare springform pan:

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8 or 9-inch springform pan and dust with flour. Or use an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan, butter and dust with flour and line the bottom with parchment paper.

  2. Mix flour with baking powder and salt:

    Vigorously whisk together 1 cup of flour with baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.

  3. Make batter:

    Using a mixer, beat the butter on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, a couple minutes more. Stir in the vanilla extract.

    Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Stir in the lemon zest if using.

    Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until smooth.

  4. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.
    blueberry-cake-method-1
    Elise Bauer
    blueberry-cake-method-2
    Elise Bauer
  5. Toss berries with flour and lemon juice, spoon over batter:

    Combine the berries with the remaining teaspoon of flour and the lemon juice in a bowl. Spoon the berry mixture over the batter.

  6. Bake:

    Bake on middle rack in oven for 45 to 55 minutes at 350°F, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

    Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

    Carefully slide a thin knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan.

    blueberry-cake-method-3
    Elise Bauer
  7. Dust with powdered sugar to serve:

    Transfer the cake to a platter, berry side up. Dust the cake with powdered sugar to serve.

Blueberry Cake
Elise Bauer