Recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Skillet Cake

updated May 1, 2019
summer
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(Image credit: Maria Siriano)

Have a hankering for cake? Skip the cake pan and break out your cast iron skillet! This breakfast-friendly cake has juicy blueberries and lemon, all in a light cornmeal batter. It’s a low-key way to get a sweet start to any day.

(Image credit: Maria Siriano)

If you like cornbread, you’ll like this cake. Cornmeal adds sweetness and texture to the cake batter, which also has yogurt for tang and tenderness, and it’s finished with lots of fresh blueberries and lemon zest. Even though I’m calling this a breakfast cake, I found myself sneaking slivers of it all day long.

While I love blueberries here, you can substitute raspberries or cut-up strawberries if you’d like instead. I dare say that when fresh cherry season hits, I’ll try a cherry variation too!

(Image credit: Maria Siriano)

Skillet Blueberry-Lemon Breakfast Cake

Serves 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 cup

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup

    finely ground cornmeal

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    fine salt

  • 8 tablespoons

    (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 2

    large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup

    plain yogurt

  • 1 teaspoon

    vanilla extract

  • Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon

  • 1 1/2 cups

    fresh blueberries

  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

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  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Coat a 12-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray; set aside.

  2. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer on medium-high speed instead.)

  3. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula. Add the yogurt, vanilla, and zest; return the mixer to medium speed; and mix until combined, about 1 minute (the mixture will look curdled). Reduce the mixer speed to low, gradually add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the blueberries, and gently fold in by hand with the rubber spatula. Transfer the batter to the skillet and spread into an even layer.

  5. Bake until golden-brown around the edges and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Move the skillet to a wire rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake, cut into wedges, and serve.

  6. The cake can be kept wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.