Juicy Blueberry Upside Down Cake (Printable Version)

Moist, buttery cake with caramelized blueberry topping 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 Steps:

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 until well blended.
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 until fully incorporated.
06 - In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the milk and lemon juice. Let stand for 1 minute to slightly thicken.
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 completely.
09 - Bake for 38-42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
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.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The caramelized blueberry layer creates its own glossy fruit topping, no glaze needed
  • This cake travels beautifully to picnics and potlucks, actually improving as it sits
  • The method feels almost like magic when you flip that pan and reveal the fruit
02 -
  • Waiting too long to invert the cake means the fruit layer will stick to the pan instead of ending up on top
  • Frozen blueberries release more liquid, so always thaw and drain them thoroughly before using
  • The cake needs that 10-minute cooling period to set enough to hold together when flipped
03 -
  • Use light-colored metal pan for the most even baking and best browning
  • If the blueberries seem especially large, cut them in half so they distribute more evenly

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