Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

We've had this cake as a dessert, we've had it for breakfast, and it just gets better each time I make it. How could you go wrong with blueberries? Or a cake you can eat for breakfast? Since we don't normally have fresh blueberries on hand (expensive!), we've always used frozen, and it's amazing. This is also another recipe for which I'm so glad to have found the powdered buttermilk! Makes life so much easier. And I know it does call for Kosher (coarse) salt. Maybe I'm the only one, but for some reason I had it in my head that this must be an expensive variety, or hard to find, so for a long time, I just used regular salt. And then I actually looked for Kosher salt. Not expensive, not hard to find. All of these years wasted. But no matter. Moving on! I highly recommend that you try this one right away. And then thank me by making me one too.

Printable Recipe

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

from Alexandra's Kitchen

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (I'm not a butter snob--you can use whatever you want)
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon (I always forget to buy lemons, so I use 4 tsp. bottled lemon juice)
3/4 cup & 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries (or I use a 12 oz bag of frozen blueberries, thawed & drained)
½ cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. sugar (for sprinkling on top)


Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 3/4 cup & 2 Tbsp of sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour. (If you are using frozen blueberries that have been thawed, pat them dry between  a few paper towels before tossing with the flour. I actually wait to add them to the flour until right before I'm going to fold the blueberries in.)

Whisk together the remaining 1 & 3/4 cups flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar.

Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.)

Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 9-12 servings.