Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Published: September 4, 2021 | Updated: February 24, 2024.
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Moist, tender and simply bursting with fresh blueberries and bright lemon zest, this Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake is a quick and easy bake that doubles as a healthier snack, breakfast or dessert.
Lemon and blueberry are a flavour match made in heaven that can make any day feel like summer. Made with simple pantry ingredients and either fresh or frozen blueberries, this cake is a weekend brunch staple year-round.
A family favourite for lazy breakfasts during the holidays, this lemony blueberry breakfast cake is as good to wake up to on a snowy winter morning as it is to bake up in late summer to make the most of local berries.
In case you need more convincing, the batter can be made ahead of time then stored in the refrigerator overnight making it ideal for an early morning bake. You can even stash the cake away in the freezer to enjoy later, it’s that easy.
And who doesn’t love cake for breakfast?
5 more favourite blueberry recipes
Blueberry season can’t arrive soon enough, and when it does, these are the recipes I make on repeat:
Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Makes 9-12 servings; prep time 20 minutes, bake time 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (12 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher or fine sea salt
2 cups (about 380 grams) fresh or frozen blueberries (*see note below)
½ cup (120 grams) butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) + 1 teaspoon (4 grams) granulated sugar, divided
Freshly grated zest from 1 large lemon
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
½ cup buttermilk (120 ml), room temperature
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and prepare parchment-lined or buttered 8-inch baking dish.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold blueberries into flour mixture just until they’re flour-covered and well distributed. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add sugar and lemon zest and press together until the zest is fully absorbed into the sugar and the sugar is yellow and fragrant. Add butter and cream together. Whisk in egg and vanilla.
Fold 1/3 of the berry and flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Pour in butter milk and continue to stir until well combined. Stir in remaining flour and berries and mix just until the batter is nice and thick, and the berries are evenly distributed.
Spread batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the teaspoon of sugar across the top. Bake for 40 minutes until golden and a tester comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 20 minutes.
Notes:
Adding the berries: Tossing the fruit together with the flour mixture is a necessary step. This helps to soak up any excess moisture and ensures the fruit pieces are both evenly distributed throughout and that they retain their shape.
Frozen blueberries: If fresh blueberries are not available, simply toss frozen berries into the flour mixture straight from frozen. Do not let them thaw first or the juices will seep into the batter.
Don’t have buttermilk? To make your own, stir 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice into ½ cup 2% or whole milk and let stand for 5 minutes while you mix together your remaining ingredients.
Make ahead: The batter can be made ahead of time and stored covered in the refrigerator overnight for a quick morning bake.
