Try this Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake recipe.
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 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 sprinkli
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour (set aside 1/4 cup of th
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp . kosher salt (i like 1.25 tsp)
- 2 cups fresh blueberries picked over
- 1/2 cup buttermilk see faqs below
- Carbohydrate 43.4217 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.97932 g
- Fiber 7.1040002822876 g
- Protein 2.19292 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0833 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (300g)
- Sodium 3.338 mg
- Sugar 36.3176997177124 g
- Trans Fat 0.324152 g
- Calories 181 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream butter with lemon zest and sugar (minus 1 tablespoon) until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with 1/4 cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk; fold in the blueberries.
- Grease a 9-inch square aluminum baking pan with butter or coat with non-stick spray.
- Spread batter into pan.
- Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes.
- Check with a toothpick, checking for doneness.
- Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
The ingredient list provides quantities, but it omits the century-old baking traditions that transformed simple farm kitchen ingredients into a distinct style of fruit-studded morning pastries. Originally developed in American rural communities to utilize surplus summer berries and sour milk, this style of cake bridges the gap between quick breads and coffee cakes by relying on a dense, moist crumb rather than yeast fermentation. Coaxing the right texture from the batter requires specific handling of the fruit.
- Tossing the fresh berries in a quarter cup of flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the pan during the 35 to 45 minute baking time.
- Creaming the unsalted butter, lemon zest, and sugar together until the mixture turns noticeably pale and fluffy incorporates microscopic air pockets necessary for rising.
- Checking the interior with a wooden toothpick inserted into the center confirms complete doneness when it emerges without wet batter attached.
- Allowing the finished pastry to rest in its pan for at least 15 minutes prevents structural collapse during slicing.
Proper storage involves keeping the baked cake covered at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerating it wrapped tightly in plastic to preserve moisture. Standardizing the oven temperature to precisely 350 degrees Fahrenheit ensures the baking powder activates uniformly alongside the acidic buttermilk.
