Blueberry Mystery Cake

Fresh blueberries and a secret ingredient make this Blueberry Mystery Cake irresistible.  This small batch cake is sweet, but not quite as sweet as a fruit cobbler.

A similar flavor combination can be found in our  Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake and Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins.  If you enjoy this mystery cake you might enjoy these recipes too!

Mystery Cake

We love sweet and light treats with fresh muffins.  Farmhouse Style Blueberry Muffins and Blueberry Coffee Cake are a couple of my favorite baked goods, so when a friend sent this cake recipe from her family I couldn’t wait to try it!  We love this blueberry mystery cake warm right out of the oven, or cool later in the week.

Fresh lemon juice squeezed over fresh blueberries gives a slight twist to this cake that is so good!  My husband loved this for brunch or dessert, but couldn’t quite identify the lemon.  I wouldn’t have been able to either if I hadn’t made the recipe.  The fresh fruit flavors are so bold and the sweet cake batter topping makes the perfect sweet treat!

Pouring enough boiling water to wet the top of the batter makes a light layer of crunch that is so unique.  This blueberry cake truly tastes like it came from a bakery, but it is very easy to make at home!

Can Frozen Blueberries Be Used?

Yes, frozen blueberries can be used and often make baking more convenient because they can be stored so much longer than fresh berries on the counter or in the refrigerator.  However, I prefer to use fresh berries in this recipe.

Can This Blueberry Cake Be Frozen?

I would not recommend freezing this cake for long periods of time because there is a good bit of liquid that would likely create freezer burn with mixed with air over time.  We also love the flavors and texture of this cake when it is fresh!  Since it is a small batch a few people can easily eat the entire cake in a couple of days.

How to Keep Blueberries From Sinking to the Bottom

Reserve one or two tablespoons of flour from the amount called for in the recipe and gently coat blueberries in that flour. 

My mom told me this is the secret to keeping blueberries from sinking to the bottom of baked goods.

Tips for Making Blueberry Mystery Cake

• Wash fresh blueberries and allow to dry
• Cut lemon in half and remove seeds before squeezing as evenly as possible over top of the blueberries
• Mix cake batter together – it will be thick
• Carefully spread dollops of cake batter as evenly as possible over the berries while keeping the berries in an even layer on the bottom of the pan
• Topping mix is dry and can easily be sprinkled over the cake batter
• Have the cake assembled before pouring boiling water over the top
• Pour boiling water slowly and allow as much of the topping as possible to become wet
• A wet topping will create a perfect crust
• Too much boiling water will make a soppy cake that tastes amazing, but might not look great or easily cut into square pieces

How to Make Blueberry Breakfast Cake

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F and spray non-stick cooking spray on an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.  I have a beautiful glass dish that makes this dish even more special to serve.
2. Wash and drain all water off of berries.  Extra water will make the cake too runny.  Pour berries into a baking dish and squeeze a couple fresh lemon wedges over the berries or measure juice and sprinkle over berries.
3. Beat butter and sugar together, then stir in milk.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add to butter mixture.
5. Take care to spread as evenly as possible over berries.
6. Mix sugar, corn starch and salt together.  Sprinkle the topping over the batter.
7. Boil water and carefully pour to moisten all of the topping.  Be sure to use boiling water and do NOT stir the topping!
8. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes at 375°F, reduce heat to 350°F for the last 15 – 20 minutes.

Other Easy Desserts with Fruit

• Frosted Banana Bars
• Banana Split Cake
• Pineapple Marshmallow Dessert
• Farmhouse Rhubarb Crunch

Printable Recipe for Blueberry Mystery Cake