Make Simple Blueberry Cake (Tender, Fully Loaded)

• Food: Blueberry Cake
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

My go-to summer dessert is this blueberry cake. I hope it also becomes yours. It’s moist, jam-packed with blueberries, and easy to prepare—no mixer required. It’s a fantasy!

This blueberry cake is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, making it even more delectable. It’s delicious, but not too sugary, thanks to the blueberries and maple syrup.

Some cakes give me a stomachache because they are too sugary, but this one is exactly right.

At your Fourth of July celebrations, this cake will undoubtedly be a hit.

Serve it as a “snacking cake” or dress it up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a special occasion. I’ve even had a slice for the morning with yogurt.

Recipe Development for Blueberry Cake

To make this cake, I started with Healthy Blueberry Muffins and tweaked the recipe until I had a cake that was just right in terms of sweetness.

I’m able to make tweaks to make this cake gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan since we started with a recipe that I know like the back of my hand. Those details can be found in the recipe notes.

I used melted butter instead of coconut or olive oil to make the dish taste more like a cake. For a fluffier texture with the same excellent tang, I swapped buttermilk for Greek yogurt.

I was also able to treble the number of blueberries. In total, you’ll need 3 cups (1 1/2 pints). I’m confident you’ll be able to finish up the remaining blueberries on your own!

Options for Blueberry Cake

Pans: In a regular 9-inch springform pan, this cake bakes beautifully. A 9-inch cake pan could also be used. I believe the cake could be baked in an 8-inch square baking dish.

Keep an eye on the oven and pay more attention to the visual cues supplied for doneness than the actual timing when modifying the baking pan size advised in a baked item recipe (your cake could be done a few minutes sooner or later than specified).

This recipe can be made using a variety of different flours. White whole wheat flour, a kind of whole wheat with a mild flavor similar to all-purpose, is my favorite.

For a somewhat rustic texture and a faintly nutty flavor, use ordinary whole wheat flour. All-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose blends can also be used.

This cake can be made with either fresh or frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries should not be defrosted before use.

To prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake, toss them with a small bit of flour. There’s a rationale for the extra teaspoon of flour in the ingredients list.

On top, streusel with raw sugar. The blueberries sparkle with raw sugar, also known as turbinado sugar, which offers a softly crackly burst of sweetness on top.

Raw sugar is now available in most grocery shops’ sugar aisles. Alternatively, just pick up a couple of extra raw sugar packets from your favorite coffee shop (I promise I won’t tell).

SIMPLE BLUEBERRY CAKE

This easy blueberry cake recipe is a must-try! This blueberry cake is moist and flavorful, with plenty of blueberries and not too much sweetness. It’s naturally sweetened and whole grain, just like the recipe says (check recipe notes for more flour options). The recipe makes one 9-inch circular cake with enough slices for 8 people.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 34 cups white whole wheat flour plus 1 teaspoon normal whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon powdered baking soda
• 12 tbsp baking soda
• 12 teaspoon sea salt, fine
• 14 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 12 cup honey or maple syrup
• 6 tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 eggs, room temperature if possible
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries split 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also known as raw sugar) for sprinkling on top
• Serving ideas (optional): Whipped cream, Greek yogurt, or vanilla ice cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Cut parchment paper to fit inside the base of a 9-inch springform pan. To keep the cake from adhering to the sides of the pan, butter them.
2. Combine 1 34 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing basin. Using a whisk, combine the ingredients.
3. Incorporate the maple syrup and butter in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. After beating the eggs thoroughly, add the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly. (If the butter hardens when it comes into contact with cold ingredients, gently reheat the mixture in 30-second bursts in the microwave, then whisk again.)
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until incorporated using a large spoon (a few lumps are ok). Toss 2 cups of blueberries with the remaining 1 teaspoon of flour in a small bowl (this helps prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom). Fold the blueberries into the batter gently. Don’t be concerned if the mixture is thick.
5. Pour the batter into the pan that has been prepared. Distribute the remaining blueberries on top, concentrating them in the cake’s center. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top of the blueberries.
6. Bake for 34–38 minutes, or until the top of the cake is brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (blueberry bits aside). Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack. You may need to run a butter knife over the outer edge of the cake to release it from the pan before releasing the springform sides.
7. As desired, serve. Covered leftover cake can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Alternatively, the leftover cake can be frozen for up to three months.

NOTES

• TO MAKE BUTTERMILK, whisk together 2 tablespoons vinegar and 2/3 cup milk of choice (any milk will do). Allow 5 to 10 minutes for the mixture to rest before adding it to the other liquid components.
• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR AND GLUTEN-FREE ALL-PURPOSE COMBINATIONS WORK WELL IN THIS RECIPE. I’m sure you could use 2 12 cups of oat flour instead, but I haven’t tested it.
• CHANGE IT UP: Cinnamon and turbinado sugar are technically optional in this recipe. Instead of blueberries, you might use raspberries or sliced strawberries in this cake. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream might be substituted for buttermilk. Whisk the zest of 1 medium lemon (approximately 12 teaspoons), preferably organic, into the liquid ingredients for a citrus cake.
• MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE: Use your favorite non-dairy milk to make your own buttermilk. 13 cups melted coconut oil or gently flavored extra-virgin olive oil, such as California Olive Ranch, can be used in place of the butter.
• MAKE IT VEGAN: Follow the dairy-free instructions above and replace the regular eggs with flax eggs.
• REMOVE THE EGG: Flax eggs can be used in place of normal eggs. Make it gluten-free by replacing the whole wheat flour with an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. A gluten-free combination from Bob’s Red Mill works wonderfully.