Blueberry Muffin and Buttermilk Pancakes Cake

by Averie Sunshine on June 26, 2013

I was going to make blueberry muffins but didn’t want to deal with the one-by-one nature of muffins.

I thought about blueberry pancakes, but didn’t want to be held hostage to the stove flipping them.

So I made batter that was a hybrid of muffin batter and pancake batter, poured it into an 8-inch square pan, and baked it as a cake.

It turned out to be one of the softest, moistest, and best little cakes. And so easy.

It tastes like a big buttermilk pancake that ran into a blueberry muffin on the way to the oven.

It’s the kind of cake that I’d want served for breakfast in bed or leisurely Sunday mornings with coffee and the newspaper. Since those things never happen for me, it’s also a great Wednesday cake.

The batter comes together like standard pancake or muffin batter in 5 minutes flat.

A bowl of dry ingredients and a bowl of wet. Pour the wet over the dry, stir, pour into a pan, and bake.

No mixer, nothing complicated or fussy.

The cake is like a good muffin or pancake should be. Light, soft, fluffy, and tender with just enough density to give it some heft and dimension, with a springiness to it that I loved.

I loathe dry cake and muffins so I used both buttermilk, sour cream, and oil to keep it moist. And boy, it’s falling apart soft and moist.

That could also have something to do with the abundance of blueberries. They’re juicy and add so much moisture.

They sank a little, but I don’t mind blue walls at the bottom of my cake. A trick to prevent sinking is to roll them through flour before folding them into the batter. However, with this cake, it’s thinner and I used a ton, so they’re bound to be near the base, no matter what tricks are used.

I used frozen blueberries because I’m cheap and don’t bake with fresh. I save those for eating and bake with frozen.

When baking with frozen blueberries, add them into the batter frozen because they’ll run and bleed less than if you thaw them first.

The baking time listed reflects using ice cold, frozen berries. If you’re using fresh, the baking time could, and likely will be, dramatically less. This is definitely a recipe where you should watch your cake, not the clock. Bake until it’s done. Simple as that.

I’m so glad I decided not to make muffins or babysit pancakes and made this cake instead. We polished it off in 12 hours. In our defense, it’s a small, thin cake and not some big Bundt that’ll be lingering for a week.

I’m wondering what it would taste like with strawberries, apricots, raspberries, or peaches.

I’ll have to find out.

Print Save

This fast and easy cake tastes like a big buttermilk pancake that ran into a blueberry muffin on the way to the oven. It's fluffy, tender, and moist from both the buttermilk and sour cream that's incorporated into the batter. The blueberries are plentiful, juicy, and the perfect compliment to this extremely soft cake.

Yield: one 8x8 pan, 9 generous squares

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: about 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sour cream (thick, full-fat Greek yogurt may be substituted)
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups frozen blueberries (don't unthaw, add them to the batter frozen; see below about using fresh)
confectioners' sugar, optional for dusting or see glaze suggestions below

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 6 dry ingredients (through optional salt); set aside.In a separate small bowl, whisk together the next 5 wet ingredients (through vanilla).Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Lumps will be present and this is okay. Don't overmix or try to stir them smooth.Gently and briefly fold in the frozen blueberries. Note - I used frozen blueberries and added them frozen because frozen berries run and bleed less than if they're thawed. If using fresh berries, baking time will be significantly (possibly drastically) less because the berries are much warmer and won't chill down the batter overall, nor will they release any where near the water into the batter that frozen berries do.Bake until done. I hesitate to give a baking range because you must watch your cake, not the clock. Bake until center is slightly domed and set, golden in color, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. At any time your cake is beginning to look a bit too golden brown before you suspect the center will set up, tent it with a sheet of foil laid across the top. I baked for 52 minutes total, and at the 45 minute mark, I tented with foil. Baking times will range dramatically based on if baking with fresh or frozen berries; ranging from 3o to 60 minutes depending on the temperature of the berries going into the batter and how much water they release.Place pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Optionally, dust with confectioners' sugar or a simple glaze. This lemon glaze, this buttery vanilla glaze, this browned butter glaze, or this vanilla cream cheese glaze are all excellent, quick, and easy options.Cake will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

Blueberry and Jam Buttermilk Coffee Cake with Buttery Vanilla Glaze – One of the best coffee cakes or cakes I’ve ever made. Highly recommended – tied with the one below

Strawberries and Cream Coffee Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze – Probably the best coffee cake I’ve ever had or made. Use your favorite fresh, frozen, or seasonal fruit this incredibly moist and soft cake batter

Blueberry and Cream Cheese Muffin Top Bread – Tastes like one big muffin top. Ridiculously soft and moist

Cinnamon Sugar Mini Donut Muffins

Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Lemon Vanilla Glaze

Blueberry Muffins with Raspberry Jam Swirls

Creamy Mixed Berry White Chocolate Crumble Bars

Microwave Blueberry Banana Oat Cakes (vegan, GF) – Ready in 3 minutes and although the recipe is older, I get so many reader emails about this being a go-to breakfast and portable snack, especially for anyone in a dorm room or who has limited kitchen access. All you need is a microwave for this little single-serving cake

Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes with Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

Strawberry and Sprinkles Buttermilk Pancakes

What’s your favorite go-to quick and easy cake? Or muffin? Or pancakes?

View the original article here