Made with fresh summer berries, this Easy Blueberry Upside Down cake is simple dessert anyone can make. The blueberries are caramelized under a layer of vanilla flavored cake, then flipped over for a thick blueberry topped cake with a perfect crumb.
If you LOVE fresh blueberries like we do, you’re going to LOVE this tasty cake. This simple and easy cake takes just minutes to prep – the blueberry layer is made right in the pan by using the oven’s heat to melt the butter. No extra saucepans or bowls to wash. Nice!
This cake isn’t dainty folks. I gave the batter a scoop of cornmeal, which makes it a little rustic in my opinion, but also let’s it stand up to even the biggest scoop of melting ice cream. No soggy cake for us!
Ingredients needed for this recipe:
- Blueberries – we love fresh summer blueberries for this recipe, but thawed and drained frozen blueberries can be substituted.
- Brown Sugar – hint of maple flavor and sweetness for the berries and the cake.
- Butter – unsalted butter is what we use for our baking recipes. That allows the cook to add salt to taste.
- Vanilla Extract – for flavor and delicious baking aroma.
- Flour – all-purpose flour was used in this recipe.
- Corn Meal – adds texture, flavor and firmness to the cake. You could substitute flour if you don’t want to use corn meal.
- Baking Powder – leavening for the cake.
- Baking Soda – leavening for the cake.
- Buttermilk – adds lots of flavor and is the liquid needed for the cake batter.
- Eggs – We use whole large eggs for this recipe. It’s the binder for the batter mixture.
How To Make Easy Blueberry Upside Down Cake
This yummy dessert recipe couldn’t be simpler to make. Here’s how to do it:
Preheat the oven. Spray your 8 x 8 or similar size panbaking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Drop the butter in the pan and place pan in the oven for 1 – 2 minutes to melt. Remove pan from the oven and add the brown sugar to the butter. Stir until the brown sugar is moist with butter and spread out evenly over the bottom of the pan. Pour the blueberries over the butter and sugar mixture into an even layer.
Now you’ll want to mix the dry ingredients. Into a large bowl add the flour, corn meal, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Whisk until well blended. Set the bowl aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugars with the butter until light and fluffy. This takes 3 to 4 minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla to the bowl and continue mixing until well blended. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined and your batter is smooth. The batter will be thick. Spoon over the blueberries, spreading into an even layer with a knife or offset spatula. For under $7, this is one tool you need in your kitchen.
Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 45 – 50 minutes until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert the pan onto a serving platter. Cool 15 more minutes before serving.
Pro Tips:
- A hand mixer can be used to mix the ingredients. Be sure to beat the butter and sugars together long enough for the mixture to become fluffy. The metal beaters on the hand mixer tend to just cut the butter and sugar together and it may take longer to get the mixture fluffy.
- Butter should be softened to room temperature. If you forgot to get it out, or just can’t wait to start making this AMAZING dessert, microwave wrapped butter sticks in 5 second intervals until softened. Turn the butter over on a different side for each interval.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together before adding to the wet ones. You will be beating in the dry ingredients to make the batter until it’s just blended. This might not allow the baking powder, soda and salt to be evenly dispersed in the batter if not mixed together first.
More Blueberry recipes to love:
- Blueberry Vanilla Monkey Bread
- Blueberry Pecan Banana Bread
- Overnight Blueberry French Toast
- Frozen Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Pie
- Fresh Blueberry Slab Pie
Easy Blueberry Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Layer
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups fresh blueberries from 12-ounce container
For the Cake Batter
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8 x 8 baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Place butter in bottom of pan and place in the oven for 1 – 2 minutes for butter to melt. Remove form oven and tilt pan to spread melted butter evenly.
- Add brown sugar to melted butter and carefully stir until all the sugar is moistened with butter. Spread in an even layer in bottom of pan then top with blueberries.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy 3 – 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Add eggs and buttermilk and continue beating until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add slowly to the egg mixture, beating only until just blended. Spoon batter over the top of blueberries, spreading into an even layer.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Best served warm or at room-temperature.
Equipment Used
Nutrition Facts
© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
