Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy…and super easy to make! It’s a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy...and super easy to make!  It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

I love using buttermilk when baking. If you think about it, many of the best classic baking recipes call for buttermilk. A good flaky biscuit? Buttermilk. Fluffy waffles? Buttermilk. The best blueberry muffins ever? Yup, you guessed it – buttermilk.

So what’s the deal with buttermilk? Well buttermilk is fermented milk. Not fermented like spoiled, but rather fermented in a controlled environment – similar to yogurt. As a result of the fermentation, buttermilk is acidic. That acid provides the tangy flavor that we associate with buttermilk in baked goods.

This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy...and super easy to make! It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

Aside from the tangy flavor that it brings, buttermilk also does some fancy chemistry stuff in baked goods. Baking soda needs something acidic to activate it. Something acidic = buttermilk. The baking soda then leavens the baked good making it lighter and fluffier. Acids also help bring apart gluten which in turn creates a lighter texture in baked goods.

Before we leave buttermilk, let’s address the elephant in the room. Who actually keeps a whole container of buttermilk in the fridge? It’s difficult to go through that much buttermilk – even if you bake a lot! Years ago, I discovered powdered buttermilk. Now it’s a staple in my baking pantry. Mix up as little or as much buttermilk as you’d like. Nice and easy. Of course, you can always use the lemon juice / vinegar trick, too.

Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

Now that we’ve carried on about buttermilk and the role it plays in baked goods, let’s switch gears and talk about a yummy recipe using buttermilk. This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is an easy and tasty recipe for summer breakfasts!

This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy...and super easy to make! It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

This buttermilk blueberry breakfast cake is thin, but it’s packed (and I mean packed) with blueberries. It bakes in a round cake pan for about 25-30 minutes, so it’s not too difficult to bake on a lazy weekend morning. In fact, by the time you clean up the mixing bowls and pour another cup of coffee, this cake will be coming out of the oven!

I came across this recipe years ago when my sister made it using raspberries and blackberries. It was delicious. I’ve made it a number of times using different types of berries. This recipe is one of those “keep up your sleeve for when you need a quick baked breakfast idea” types of recipes.

Ingredients for Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

  • All-purpose Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt: Basic dry ingredients for baking.
  • Unsalted Butter: Adds flavor.
  • Egg: Provides structure to the cake.
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor.
  • Buttermilk: Adds tangy flavor and activates the baking soda.
  • Blueberries: Can use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries. (Other types of berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries work well, too.)
  • Coarse sugar (turbinado or sparkling sugar): Adds a sweet crunchy texture to the top of the cake.
This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy...and super easy to make! It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

Unlike a dessert cake or cupcake where frosting is the shining star, I like to serve this Blueberry Buttermilk Cake with just a bit of sweetened whipped cream (Chantilly Cream for you Aussies!). Add a couple more fresh berries on top, and you’ve got a tasty breakfast for warm summer mornings!

Storing Leftovers

Leftover Blueberry Buttermilk Cake should be wrapped in plastic wrap (or transferred into an airtight container) and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, just place in a toaster oven or oven for ~10 minutes. While this cake can be frozen, the berries lose a bit of their texture. This recipe is easy to make, so I recommend just eating it fresh!

If you’re looking for a tasty breakfast recipe, then put this Blueberry Buttermilk Cake on the menu. It didn’t last long around our house – happy baking!

This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy...and super easy to make! It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

Did you bake this Blueberry Buttermilk Cake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy...and super easy to make! It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy…and super easy to make! It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 338kcal

Ingredients

For the Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

For the Whipped Cream

Instructions

For the Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Spray a 9” round cake pan with nonstick baking spray; set pan aside.
  • Using a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set dry ingredients aside.
  • Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes on medium speed).
  • Add egg and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
  • Add half of the flour mixture; mix until well combined.
  • Add buttermilk; mix until well combined.
  • Add remaining flour mixture; mix until well combined.
  • Gently fold blueberries into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. (Note: If desired, sprinkle a few more blueberries on top.)
  • Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of batter.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out mostly clean.
  • Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  • Top cake with whipped cream before serving.

For the Whipped Cream

  • Using a medium bowl, add the cream, vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar. Using a hand mixer or immersion blender, whip until soft peaks form.
This Blueberry Buttermilk Cake is sweet, tangy...and super easy to make! It's a great recipe for warm summer mornings.

Looking for more breakfast recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:

Spiced® is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Programs and other affiliate services. This means that spicedblog.com receives a small commission by linking to Amazon.com and other sites at no cost to the readers.

10 Comments

  1. Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had blueberry buttermilk cake before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work

  2. I usually make my own buttermilk so I guess it’s not fermented just soured. It does magic stuff to baking doesn’t it? Love the photos here David; your cake looks so delicious.
    cheers
    Sherry

    1. You make a good point, Sherry – I guess the homemade buttermilk trick is more soured than fermented. Eh, close enough, right? Buttermilk really is magical stuff when it comes to baking!! Cheers, my friend!

  3. 5 stars
    Two of my favorite ingredients – the cake looks so tender! And studded with blueberries — yum! It’s like a cross between buttermilk blueberry pancakes and muffins!

    1. Haha – yes! This is a breakfast cake, and it really is like a cross between muffins and pancakes. And it’s an easy recipe, too!

  4. Yes, I know that using buttermilk helps achieve a lighter, fluffier texture. But it’s something I still need to try myself (not baking often enough haha). This blueberry cake looks and sounds terrific; I also would have added a bit of lemon or lime zest for even more pronounced freshness.

    1. You should totally play around with buttermilk, Ben! It’s magical. And it’s essential if you ever do anything like fried chicken. I like the idea of adding a bit of citrus zest into this recipe. I’ll do that next time! That would really scream summer then.

  5. 5 stars
    Your Blueberry Buttermilk Cake sounds like the perfect treat for lazy summer mornings! I can almost taste the sweet tanginess of the buttermilk blending with the burst of blueberries in each bite.

    1. The tangy buttermilk combined with the sweet summer berries is magical, Raymund! Keep this recipe in mind for a weekend morning. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating