Small Blueberry Lemon Upside Down Cake

Pretty top view of blueberry lemon upside down cake topped with whipped cream stars.

Small Blueberry Lemon Upside Down Cake

Fresh blueberries literally burst into jammy goodness with this 6-inch blueberry lmon upside down cake. A generous layer of blueberries and brown sugar bake into a blueberry-studded caramel under a buttery plush cake, brightened with lemon.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 225kcal

Author: Erin Cernich

Equipment

6-Inch Round Cake Pan

Ingredients

½ cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon brown sugar, light or dark or granulated sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup organic cane sugar or granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
½ teaspoon lemon zest from 1 lemon
¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line the bottom of a 6-inch cake pan with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Grease and flour the pan and paper.
In a small bowl, mix the blueberries with the brown sugar. Spread the blueberries evenly into the bottom of the cake pan.
1/2 cup fresh blueberries, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, light or dark
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
In a medium mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar. Use a hand held mixer on medium speed and beat until light and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon juice, and zest. Beat until well combined. The mixture will look curdled, which is ok.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup organic cane sugar, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Sprinkle 1/2 of the dry ingredients over the wet. Mix until just combined. Next, add the buttermilk and mix to combine. Add the last 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix until smooth and no dry streaks remain.
1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Pour the batter over the blueberries in the prepared cake pan. Smooth out with a spatula. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden on top, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife or offset spatula around the cake to loosen from the pan. Then, invert the cake onto the wire rack. Carefully remove the piece of parchment paper and allow the cake to cool completely before transferring to a serving plate.
Top with your favorite whipped topping, ice cream, or whipped coconut cream.

Notes

Serving Size - This is a small cake recipe that can be doubled. Use an 8-inch round cake pan.
Yield - As written, the cake will yield 4 to 6 slices depending on how large you cut them.
Blueberries - I recommend fresh blueberries as they will provide more flavor and jammy texture when baked.
Lemon - For a stronger lemon flavor, add more zest vs. juice. Too much liquid will change the texture of the cake.
Buttermilk - To make homemade buttermilk, add 3/4 teaspoon to a liquid measuring cup, then fill with milk to the 1/4 cup line.
Cake Storage - The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze the cake, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bage. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator.

Nutrition