Last updated on March 31st, 2026

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake. - harvestandnourish.com

Moist, tender and simply bursting with fresh berries and bright lemon zest, this Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake is a quick and easy bake that doubles as a healthier breakfast, snack or dessert.

Lemon and blueberry are a flavour match made in heaven that can make any day feel like summer. Made with simple pantry ingredients and either fresh or frozen blueberries, this cake is a weekend brunch staple year-round.

A family favourite for lazy breakfasts during the holidays, this lemony blueberry breakfast cake is as good to wake up to on a snowy winter morning as it is in late summer during berry season.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make it

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (12 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher or fine sea salt
2 cups (about 380 grams) fresh or frozen blueberries (*see note below)
½ cup (120 grams) butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) + 1 teaspoon (4 grams) granulated sugar, divided
Freshly grated zest from 1 large lemon
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 grams) vanilla
½ cup buttermilk (120 grams), room temperature

How to make Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake in 5 steps

Preheat oven and prepare baking dish.
Mix dry ingredients together with your blueberries in one bowl.
In a second bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients except the buttermilk.
In stages, combine wet and dry ingredients together with the buttermilk until a thick batter is formed.
Transfer to baking dish and bake!

Make ahead: In case you needed more convincing, the batter for this Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake can be made ahead of time. Simply cover, then keep it in the refrigerator overnight for an early morning bake. You can even stash the cake away in the freezer to enjoy later, it’s that easy!

And who doesn’t love cake for breakfast?

Try this Coconut Rhubarb Breakfast Cake or this Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread next.

If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see!

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries see note below
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon (4 grams), divided
Freshly grated zest from 1 large lemon
1 large egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup buttermilk, room temperature see note below to make your own

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and prepare parchment-lined or buttered 8-inch baking dish.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold blueberries into flour mixture just until they’re flour-covered and well distributed. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add sugar and lemon zest and press together until the zest is fully absorbed into the sugar and the sugar is yellow and fragrant. Add butter and cream together. Whisk in egg and vanilla.
Fold 1/3 of the berry and flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Pour in buttermilk and continue to stir until well combined. Stir in remaining flour and berries and mix just until the batter is nice and thick, and the berries are evenly distributed.
Spread batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the teaspoon of sugar across the top. Bake for 40 minutes until golden and a tester comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Adding the berries: Tossing the fruit together with the flour mixture is a necessary step. This helps to soak up any excess moisture and ensures the fruit pieces are both evenly distributed throughout and that they retain their shape.

Frozen blueberries: If fresh blueberries are not available, simply toss frozen berries into the flour mixture straight from frozen. Do not let them thaw first or the juices will seep into the batter.

Don’t have buttermilk? To make your own, stir 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice into ½ cup 2% or whole milk and let stand for 5 minutes while you mix together your remaining ingredients.

Make ahead: The batter can be made ahead of time and stored covered in the refrigerator overnight for a quick morning bake.