Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

This extraordinarily delicious Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake has a tender crumb, lots of plump, juicy berries and a crisp, sugar-kissed topping. An easy, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe!

After finishing the photoshoot for this Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake, I handed Scott the "sample" piece. He sure didn't argue (a bit) and, after taking a few bites, said, "You've made a lot of blueberry cakes over the years, but I think this one is the best." "Really? I asked, "What makes it so good?". "It's so light and tender", he said, "and it's just bursting with fresh blueberry flavor". That did it. Although I'd already sampled this cake the first time I made it (and I was trying to be "good"), I proceeded to cut a piece for myself too. It's totally his fault.

Seriously (although it's nice to have a scapegoat), this is a really good cake. With a moist, tender crumb and a crisp, sugar-kissed topping, this Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake is quite extraordinary. I originally saw this recipe in an email from New York Times Cooking. Noticing that it had over 200 5-star reviews, I couldn't resist trying it. It's not only delicious, but it's also super easy to put together. And (after just a bit of adapting) it requires only one bowl and no mixer. Definitely a win-win-win!

This is a simple cake that really allows the blueberries to shine. Plump, sweet, juicy berries are starting to show up at grocery stores and markets. This Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake is a delicious way to inaugurate the season!

The ingredient list is simple; butter, oil, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and soda, vanilla and salt. It takes less than 10 minutes to put all these together then transfer to a 9-inch round pan. The batter is sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and then baked until fragrant and golden. I love how the cinnamon sugar is magically transformed in the oven to a golden, crisp, rustically beautiful topping.

This would be a perfect way to celebrate a summer morning and makes a lovely, delicious breakfast or brunch option. And, if you change the name, I'm quite certain that no one would complain if you served this wonderful Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake for dessert!

Café Tips for making this Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

• Buttermilk is a magical baking ingredient. It not only gives cakes, biscuits, muffins, etc. a nice tang but the lactic acid also helps tenderize the glutin in flour which gives a soft and tender crumb and a nice rise. No buttermilk? No problem! You can make your own by combining 2 teaspoons of vinegar or fresh lemon juice with a half cup of milk. Stir well and allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes. Voila, homemade buttermilk!
• You could also substitute sour cream, plain Greek yogurt or regular yogurt for the buttermilk.
• This recipe calls for a 9-inch round pan with sides at least 2-inches tall. I love all of the OXO Good Grip pans. They're well made and mine look great even after lots of use. A set would make a wonderful gift for someone who enjoys baking.
• If your pan is not 2 inches tall, use a larger pan. A 9x9 square pan would work well as it has more square inches (81) than a 9-inch (63.5) round pan.
• Frozen blueberries will also work in this recipe. Don't thaw the berries, instead keep them in the freezer till the last minute to prevent blueberry juices from turning the batter blue.
• This recipe also works with other berries. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or a combination of berries, would all be delicious!
• I knew you'd want to know how well this cake keeps, so I just cut myself a little sliver... after sitting for 24 hours under my cake dome, it's wonderful! The topping loses a little of its crispness after a day, but it's still super delicious!

Thought for the day:

See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

What we're listening to for inspiration:

Waymaker

If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations.

4.7 from 10 votes

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Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

This extraordinarily delicious Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake has a tender crumb, lots of plump, juicy berries and a crisp, sugar-kissed topping. An easy, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Breakfast/Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake, Blueberry Cake

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Servings: 12

Calories: 176 kcal

Ingredients

For the cake:

• ¼ cup melted butter I use salted
• ¼ cup neutral-flavored oil safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, avocado or canola oil
• ½ cup buttermilk see Café Tips above in the post for substitutions
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus a bit more
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round baking pan (with at least 2-inch high sides) with non-stick baking spray (or oil the pan) and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and sugar until well combined.
3. Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda and salt over the top of the batter and stir to combine.
4. Add the flour and stir just until all of the flour is incorporated. (Some small lumps are fine.)
5. Toss berries on a plate with the remaining 1 teaspoon flour. Fold into batter and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
6. Combine the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over the top.

7. Place the cake on a sheet pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 33 to 40 minutes (the internal temperature should be 205-210˚F). Sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons more sugar.

8. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes then invert onto a plate and invert again onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
9. Cake will keep, loosely wrapped at room temperature, for about 2-3 days.

Recipe Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for further instructions and detailed tips.

Adapted from NYT Cooking.

Calories 176kcal

Fat 10g

Saturated fat 3g

Cholesterol 39mg

Sodium 198mg

Potassium 88mg

Carbohydrates 22g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 21g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A 184%

Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 40%

Iron 1%

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