Blueberry Pudding Cake

From the kitchen of Carly

A tender cake baked right over warm blueberry compote, so when you flip it out of the pan, the fruit becomes a glossy topping. Lemon brightens the berries while the crumb stays delicate and simple. Pudding cake magic: one batter becomes two textures.

Blueberry Pudding Cake

The magic of this cake lives in the flip. Hot blueberry syrup poured over raw batter sinks to the bottom during baking, creating a glossy, jammy layer underneath a tender crumb. The lemon cuts through the sweetness without announcing itself, and the whole thing bakes in a square so you can cut generous, floppy portions. Best served warm with the pan juices pooling around each square.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/3 cupplus 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cupwater
  • 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
  • 1 tspcornstarch
  • 10 ozblueberries
  • 1 cupall-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 tspbaking powder
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 1 largeegg
  • 1/2 cupwhole milk
  • 1 stickunsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 tspvanilla

Instructions

  1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and set it aside.

  2. Combine 1/3 cup sugar with the water, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small saucepan, then fold in the blueberries. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Pull off the heat.

  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until evenly combined.

  4. Beat the egg, milk, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl, then tip in the flour mixture and whisk until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain.

  5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer, then pour the blueberry mixture over the top, berries and all (they will sink as the cake bakes). Slide into the oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the cake portion comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips from the kitchen

  • The blueberry syrup must be hot when it hits the batter, otherwise it won't sink and redistribute properly during baking. Don't skip this step by pouring cold berries over cold batter.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine gently. Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the cake, which defeats the whole tender-crumb purpose.
  • A 9-inch square pan is specific here because it controls the depth and baking time. Use it or adjust oven time by 5-minute increments and test with a knife.

Variations

  • Swap blackberries or raspberries for blueberries and reduce the syrup cooking time by 1 minute since they break down faster.
  • Replace lemon juice with lime juice and add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the syrup for a tropical lean.
  • Stir 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom into the dry ingredients and use honey in place of 2 tablespoons of the sugar for a more complex, spiced finish.
  • Use buttermilk instead of whole milk and reduce the baking powder to 1 teaspoon for a slightly more tangy, tender crumb.

Make ahead and storage

Store covered in the pan at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Warm it gently in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes before serving to bring back the cake's softness. Freezing is not recommended because the texture suffers.