Blueberry Upside Down Cake (Printable Version)

A buttery cake topped with caramelized fresh blueberries, ready in one hour.

# What You Need:

→ Blueberry Topping

01 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
03 - 2 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed and drained)
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest

→ Cake Batter

05 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1/2 cup whole milk
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - Pour the melted butter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter, then scatter the blueberries and lemon zest across the sugar. Set aside.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
06 - In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the milk and lemon juice.
07 - Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing gently. Add the milk-lemon mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
08 - Carefully spoon the batter over the blueberry layer in the pan, spreading gently to cover the fruit.
09 - Bake for 38-42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
10 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, place a serving plate on top, and invert the cake. Carefully lift off the pan and peel away the parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The magic happens when caramelized blueberry juices seep into the warm cake, creating pockets of sweet fruit in every bite
  • It looks like you spent hours on a fancy bakery cake, but it comes together in under 20 minutes of active work
  • The lemon juice cuts through the richness just enough to keep you coming back for slice after slice
02 -
  • Wait the full 10 minutes before flipping, or those hot blueberries will slide right off the cake
  • If any berries stick to the pan, just scoop them back onto the cake—no one will ever know
  • The cake continues cooking slightly in the pan, so pulling it out at 38 minutes is often perfect
03 -
  • Use light-colored metal pans rather than dark ones, which can cause the edges to overcook before the center is done
  • If your berries are especially tart, sprinkle an extra tablespoon of brown sugar over them before adding the batter

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