In the spirit of being completely clear, I want to state up front that this recipe is fully a cake recipe designed especially for breakfast. It is a breakfast cake, and to pretend otherwise is just silly. Let’s accept the fact that there are times and occasions where serving cake with breakfast (or, even better, for breakfast) is the best decision we can make.
Special Birthday? Blueberry Breakfast Cake.
Overnight guests? Blueberry Breakfast Cake.
Baby Shower? Blueberry Breakfast Cake.
Survived a hellish week? Blueberry Breakfast Cake.
Perhaps we don’t need another blueberry recipe (so many muffins, so many crumb cakes, so many pancakes), but hear me out.
My goal with this recipe was to create something that delivered big flavor with minimal effort because when do we typically want to serve cake for breakfast? On the weekend. But when do we feel the least like putting effort toward cooking? Also on the weekend. Saturday and Sunday mornings are when I want to shuffle around in my jammies, drink coffee, slink into the day as gently as possible, and, yes, enjoy something delicious from the oven, but I certainly do not want to exert much effort in the form of using a mixer, thinking ahead, or waiting on butter to come to room temperature.
Blueberry Breakfast Cake asks nothing more from you than stirring a few things together by hand (seriously!), requires melted butter (take it directly from the fridge! no waiting for it to come to room temp!), and then bakes while you brew coffee, work a crossword, and maybe scramble some eggs (if you’re so inclined).
When the cake comes out of the oven, your minimal efforts will be rewarded with a tender cake (do NOT over-mix that batter!) laced with a dynamic flavor trio of lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla (yes, all three are mandatory), pops of tart blueberries studding every bite, and a crown of crusty sugar that provides a sweetly satisfying crunch.
So stay in your jammies. Leisurely grab a spoon and mixing bowl, and get excited. Your weekend breakfast dreams might all come true with Blueberry Breakfast Cake.
Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
- 2 cups fresh blueberries (if you use frozen, do not thaw)
- 2 tablespoons demerara sugar (sugar in the raw)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch deep pie plate with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, Kosher salt, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients, making sure the brown sugar is broken up and evenly distributed throughout.In a small bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup, combine the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Mix well, ensuring there are no streaks of egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and give it a few stirs with a spatula to combine. Stop short of fully mixing at this point, and leave a few streaks of visible flour. Add the melted butter and very gently stir to incorporate. Add the fresh blueberries and gently stir them in. Transfer the batter to the waiting pan and sprinkle the top with the raw sugar. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is fully set (test with a toothpick). Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a bit (or don’t!), and enjoy!Wrapped well, this will stay wonderfully fresh for a couple of days on your countertop.
Making this for my little boys’s first birthday this Saturday 💙
We had our grown daughter and three of her friends stay with us for a couple of days so they could antique shop at Round Top. These are four very busy mothers and we wanted them to relax and enjoy their time together. I actually made three of your recipes – Blueberry Breakfast Cake, Apricot Almond Chicken Salad, and Strawberry Pretzel Parfait – but I believe this was the favorite. Best flavor & texture of any blueberry bread, muffin, or cake I have ever made or eaten. Thanks for so many wonderful recipes, ideas, and tips.
Debbie, thank you for making my recipes! I love hearing your feedback, and I’m glad the Blueberry Breakfast Cake was a hit!