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Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake is a delightful way to start your day! Each bite is bursting with juicy blueberries, hints of fresh lemon zest, and a soft, tender crumb. This long-time family favorite takes just 15 minutes to prep and bakes to golden perfection.
If you’re a fan of sweet treats that pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or a lazy weekend morning, this cake is a must-try. It combines the tangy twist of buttermilk with the sweetness of fresh blueberries, making it the perfect way to brighten up summer mornings.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Juicy berries in every bite: Every slice is loaded with juicy blueberries, bringing a fresh, fruity pop.
- Soft and fluffy texture: The combination of room temperature butter and buttermilk gives this cake a perfectly tender crumb.
- Simple ingredients: You likely already have most of the ingredients—like all-purpose flour, sugar, and vanilla extract—in your pantry.
- Versatile treat: This breakfast cake transitions seamlessly from morning coffee companion to a dessert served with a glass of milk.
Ingredients You Need
- Fresh blueberries: Fresh berries are ideal but frozen work too.
- Lemon zest: A large lemon works best to provide a bright, tangy twist to balance the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Use room temperature butter for the best fluffy texture when you cream it with sugar.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining ½ cup regular milk with 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice.
- Flour: Use regular or gluten free 1-to-1 All Purpose Flour.
- Sugar: You can reduce the amount of sugar slightly, if desired.
- Baking Powder
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Kosher Salt
How to Make Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
This blueberry cake recipe comes together easily with a hand-held mixer or stand mixer.
- Prep the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or non-stick spray. For easy removal, line the pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the batter: Cream butter with lemon zest and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Gradually add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, and mix until just combined.
- Add the blueberries: Gently fold flour coated blueberries into the mix. To fold them in, use a spatula to gently scoop from the bottom of the bowl and lift the batter over the blueberries, repeating until just combined.
- Bake: Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with a tablespoon of sugar for a slight crunch. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- If using frozen blueberries, make sure to rinse them in cool water till defrosted. Do not let the blueberries defrost on the counter. Dry them thoroughly between two pieces of paper towel before using in the recipe.
- To keep the blueberries from sinking into the batter, toss them in a bit of flour, the blueberries will stay evenly distributed throughout the cake without sinking.
- To achieve the perfect tender crumb, be careful not to overmix the batter when adding the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined, and you’ll have a beautifully soft cake every time.
Storage for Leftovers
Store the cake on a covered cake plate at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not store it in the refrigerator as it might dry out.
To freeze, let the cake cool completely. Cut the cake into individual slices and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place in a zipped-top freezer safe bag to freeze for up to 1 month.
Allow the slices to defrost at room temperature before serving.
Blueberry Breakfast Cake is an easy yet impressive breakfast recipe. Make this year round for a delectable addition to breakfast and brunch.
Other Blueberry Breakfast Recipes
Have you tried this Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake recipe? Leave a rating and review at the end of the post to let us know what you think!
Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with butter.
- In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour; set aside. Whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, lemon zest and ¾ cup plus one tablespoon of the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.
- Spread batter into greased baking dish and sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until top is slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in 2013. It was updated in January 2025 with photos and tips.
Cake for Breakfast??? Yes, please! My kids will be so excited to hear we are having cake for breakfast tomorrow!
Blueberries and CAKE for breakfast! How could I pass on this!! So delicious and comes together easily. Thanks for another winning recipe.