This wild blueberry upside-down cake is soft and tender with a delicate crumb, packed with jammy blueberries in every bite. Lemon zest and olive oil give the cake a light, bright pop of flavor, while the wild blueberries bake into a glossy topping that tastes almost like homemade jam. It's the perfect way to enjoy blueberries all summer long.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Reverse creaming method- Instead of creaming butter and sugar together, this cake uses olive oil with the reverse creaming method for an ultra soft, plush crumb. The oil coats the flour the same way softened butter would, creating a tender texture while keeping the cake incredibly moist.
- Jammy blueberry topping- Frozen wild blueberries are tossed with brown sugar and lemon zest before baking, creating a bright, jammy topping as the cake bakes in the oven. The blueberries become thick, glossy, and full of sweet-tart flavor.
- One bowl wonder- The cake batter comes together in just one bowl, so cleanup is minimal, making this recipe easy from start to finish. It's the kind of cake you can throw together before a party without making a huge mess in the kitchen.
I personally love pairing a slice of cake with a blueberry gin and tonic! If you love blueberries, try these lemon blueberry cupcakes, blueberry chocolate cake, or blueberry cheesecake cookies too.
Ingredient Notes
Wild Blueberries: You may be asking yourself, "What even are wild blueberries?" Wild blueberries are smaller berries that grow naturally in the wild (hence the name), most commonly in places like Maine and Canada. They're usually sold frozen and have an intense, slightly more tangy flavor than regular blueberries. If you can't find frozen wild blueberries, regular frozen blueberries work just fine.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: We of course need olive oil to keep the cake soft and moist. However, the main reason I chose to use olive oil instead of a neutral oil for this recipe is because of its grassy, peppery flavor. It really complements the tangy blueberries and just screams summer. Because olive oil is important for building the flavor of this cake, make sure to grab a high-quality oil in a dark glass or aluminum bottle.
Flour and cornstarch: These dry ingredients work together in this cake to create a soft, tender crumb. The cornstarch lightens the flour by reducing the overall protein content, which helps prevent the cake from becoming dense or chewy. The result is a more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture that still holds its structure beautifully when flipped upside down.
Top Baking Tips
Measure your flour correctly. Ideally, you should measure your flour in grams with a kitchen scale. This is the most accurate method and will ensure your bakes turn out every time!
Make sure your refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature to make sure that the ingredients blend well together for the best flavor and texture.
Save the leftover berries. This recipe calls for 1 cup of wild blueberries, but most are sold in larger bags. My favorite way to use the leftovers is to thaw them tossed in a little brown sugar. The sugar draws more moisture out of the berries and creates a quick blueberry syrup you can use for lattes and cocktails, like this blueberry basil margarita.
How to Make the Cake
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest together in a large bowl until combined.
Step 2: Add the olive oil. Beat in the olive oil on low speed until it fully coats the dry ingredients. It should look like wet clumpy sand.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract on low speed, then gradually stream in the buttermilk until the batter is smooth and glossy.
Step 4: Make the blueberry mixture. Set the cake batter aside and mix the frozen blueberries, brown sugar, and lemon zest together.
Step 5: Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and pour the blueberry mixture into the bottom.
Step 6: Bake the cake. Pour the cake batter on top of the blueberries, then bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully release the sides. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
Step 8: Serve. Once the cake is cool, serve it with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
More Cake Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Wild Blueberry Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
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Ingredients
- 156 grams all purpose flour
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 30 grams cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 113 grams olive oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 220 grams buttermilk room temperature
- 226 grams frozen wild blueberries
- 73 grams light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan parchment paper. If your springform pan tends to leak, wrap the bottom in foil before baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest until evenly combined.156 grams all purpose flour, 200 grams granulated sugar, 30 grams cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Using a hand mixer, mix in the olive oil on low speed. The mixture should look like damp, clumpy sand.113 grams olive oil
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract on low speed until combined. Slowly stream in the buttermilk while mixing until the batter is smooth, glossy, and lump-free. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 220 grams buttermilk
- In a separate bowl, stir together the frozen wild blueberries, brown sugar, and lemon zest until combined. You can also mix the blueberry topping directly in the prepared springform.226 grams frozen wild blueberries, 73 grams light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Spread the blueberry mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the cake batter over the blueberries and gently spread it into an even layer so the berries stay underneath.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The moisture from the blueberries can slow down baking, so if the top starts browning too quickly before the center is fully baked, loosely tent the cake with foil for the remaining bake time.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, then carefully release and remove the springform ring. Place a wire rack or serving plate over the top of the cake, then quickly and carefully flip it. Lift off the pan base and gently peel away the parchment paper. Let the cake cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Slice and serve the cake with whipped cream, ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
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