Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cake (Printable View)
Moist cake with juicy blueberries and bright lemon flavor, ideal for a delightful morning treat.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk or buttermilk
→ Fruit
11 - 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen, unthawed)
12 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for coating blueberries
→ Topping
13 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar (optional)
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
05 - Add the dry ingredient mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Lightly coat blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold into the batter.
07 - Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle coarse sugar over top if desired.
08 - Bake for 38 to 42 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
09 - Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove using parchment overhang. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The tender crumb stays moist for days, making this perfect for grabbing with your coffee before heading out the door
- Fresh lemon and blueberry create this magic moment on your palate that feels bright and summery even in the dead of winter
- It's simple enough for a weekday breakfast but impressive enough to bring to brunch without anyone knowing how easy it was
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not just a suggestion, they're the difference between a tender cake and a dense one. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start.
- Don't thaw frozen blueberries if you're using them. The ice crystals actually help them stay whole and not bleed color into the batter. It's counterintuitive but it works.
- A toothpick test is your friend. If it comes out with wet batter, give it another 2 to 3 minutes. If it comes out completely dry, you might have gone a minute too far, but the cake will still be wonderful.
03 -
- Use a microplane zester for your lemon zest and you'll get all the fragrant yellow without the bitter white pith. It makes a difference you can actually taste.
- The parchment paper trick of leaving overhang is a game changer. It means you can lift the whole cake out without any drama or breakage, and the clean edges look professional.
- If you want to bake this ahead, you can make the batter the night before and keep it covered in the fridge, then bake it in the morning. Just add an extra minute or two since you're starting with cold batter.