blueberry cake recipe

Name: blueberry cake recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups cake flour (180g); 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/3 cup semolina (you can also use finely ground corn meal); ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (170g); 1 ½ cups whole milk ricotta (345g); 1 2/3 cups white granulated sugar, for batter (370g); 3 large eggs; 2 cups fresh blueberries (300g); 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for blueberries; ¼ cup honey, warm

This moist and flavorful blueberry cake recipe is made with semolina flour, creamy ricotta, and fresh blueberries! It all comes together to make a delightfully tender Italian cake perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon coffee!

This ricotta cake is unlike any other! Mixing by creaming method and using semolina flour helps give this cake a light, moist, and tender texture. The blueberry ricotta cake is simple and easy enough to make for any weeknight dessert, or you can dress it up with lemon whipped cream and blueberry sauce for an elegant dessert that will have everyone reaching for seconds.

This cake will stay moist for over a week and uses fresh or frozen blueberries! Just like another Italian classic, olive oil cake, it can be made in one layer or two! Another easy blueberry dessert recipe like blueberry galette and blueberry shortcakes, or make another Italian classic dessert, vanilla panna cotta!

Why You Will Love This Blueberry Cake!

Semolina and ricotta give this cake a unique and delightful texture. The semolina and ricotta come together in perfect harmony with the other ingredients to provide you with a tender, moist cake with that little something from the semolina.
An easy-to-make elegant dessert! Don’t let it frighten you. This cake is super easy to pull together and gives you a show-stopping dessert perfect for any dinner party or just a weeknight dessert!
The mixing method aids in the flavor and texture. Creaming the butter, sugar, and ricotta together helps emulsify the batter and keeps the cake light and moist!
There are endless variations. This recipe is the starting point! This cake can be spiced and made for Christmas dinner, or add rhubarb and strawberry for a delightful springtime dessert!

blueberry cake sliced on cake plate with extra blueberries.

Professional Tips for Making Blueberry Ricotta Cake

Room-temperature ingredients will aid in making a tender and fluffy cake. Although optional, room-temperature ingredients will speed up the mixing process, helping the eggs emulsify with the butter mixture. This will give your cake the best texture.
Don’t open the oven for the first 20 minutes of baking. The blueberry ricotta cake is made with cake flour and isn’t as sturdy as other cakes. It needs 20 minutes alone in the oven to set. When the oven door is opened, not only do you lose heat, but it will also jostle the cake slightly. Since the crumb isn’t set yet, the cake will fall and lose some of its fluffiness.
Brushing the cake with honey keeps it moist. The warm honey brushed on a hot cake locks in moisture and adds even more flavor. It’s optional but truly spectacular.

Ingredients

Cake Flour: I use cake flour only when necessary. This blueberry cake is one such instance. The lower gluten content and finer texture are essential for getting that light, airy finished cake! You can also use all-purpose flour. I do use bleached cake flour because it make the lightest cakes.
Baking Powder
Kosher Salt
Semolina: Semolina is an Italian flour made from durum wheat. It adds a delightful texture to the cake and a more complex flavor than just all-purpose flour alone. You can substitute cornmeal, if that is what you have on hand.
Unsalted Butter: I use unsalted butter to control the flavor of the cake. Creaming the butter and sugar together traps air molecules in the butter, contributing to the cake’s rise and keeping it from being too dense.
Ricotta: For the most delicious and tender cake, I recommend using whole milk ricotta in this recipe. Using ricotta with a lower fat content is possible, but I would not use fat-free ricotta. The fat and moisture in the ricotta help make this cake extra moist and tender. If using a very wet ricotta, I suggest straining it slightly. You can also use mascarpone.
Granulated Sugar
Eggs: When beaten into the creamed butter and sugar, whole eggs add fat, moisture, and leavening. They also emulsify the batter, which helps create a tender texture.
Fresh Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are best for this cake. Frozen blueberries will still work fine, but they will secrete more moisture and dye the cake batter. Thaw them at room temperature and pat them dry before adding them to the cake.
Honey: Choose a local honey to get all the allergy-fighting benefits! Honey adds a little extra sweetness and has lovely floral notes that complement the blueberries. It can be omitted if desired.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

Try different fruits or berries. Raspberries, blackberries, cherries, or grapes are delightful. Try also adding baked fruit such as apples, pears, peaches, or apricots! Oven-roast them and place them on the cake batter once they have cooled.
Add some zest. Add orange, lemon zest, or lime zest to the sugar and allow it to sit for a few hours for the oils in the citrus to flavor the sugar.
Spice it up! I’m a sucker for cardamom and blueberries! But the options are endless; you can add my apple or pumpkin pie spice or create your own mix. Be careful not to add too much too fast. I know it sounds strange, but taste the flour with the spices to ensure you enjoy it.
Make a flavored simple syrup or use a glaze. Instead of honey, you can infuse simple syrup with vanilla beans, whole spices, or coffee. You can also make a simple glaze using powdered sugar and lemon juice or milk.
Double the recipe for a blueberry layer cake. Make a blueberry layer cake by stacking two layers of this easy ricotta cake recipe with a layer of cream cheese frosting or lemon buttercream frosting!

two slices ricotta blueberry cake with sauce and whipped cream.

How to Make The Best Blueberry Cake

Use these instructions to make a tender blueberry cake every time! The recipe card below provides further details and measurements.

Make the cake:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F: spray and line a 9 or 10-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

Step 2: Combine the cake flour, semolina, kosher salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

Step 3: Rinse the blueberries and set aside on paper towels to dry.

Step 4: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a separate large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until lightened slightly.

If the butter isn’t room temperature, add it to the bowl first by itself and beat on medium until softened. You can also use a kitchen torch to help the process along. Just be sure to keep the torch moving so the butter doesn’t melt.

Step 5: Add the ricotta and beat on medium until smooth. This should take about 2 minutes. The sugar granules will disappear “dissolve” into the butter and ricotta. This is where the magic happens.

Step 6: Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each one to fully incorporate before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down between each addition.

Room-temperature eggs will incorporate better and give the cake a better texture, but cold eggs will still produce a beautiful cake.

Step 7: With the mixer on low add the dry ingredients in about three increments, allowing the flour to almost fully incorporate before adding the next. Mix until just combined or fold in the flour with a silicone spatula. I often finish folding the flour by hand.

creaming butter with sugar and ricottta.

adding eggs one at a time to blueberry cake batter.

Step 8: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter and make sure it’s level for an even bake.

Step 9: Toss the blueberries with 20g of sugar. Place them on top of the cake batter; they will sink to the bottom, so there is no need to stress about this step.

Step 10: Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven. Then reduce oven temperature to 325°F convection and continue baking until the center provides slight resistance when pressed. A cake tester or toothpick should also come out clean.

sugar coated blueberries on cake batter.

This baking technique is called a “receding oven,” and it is typically used when baking bread like sourdough bread. However, it is absolutely necessary when baking this cake. In my professional chef life, I learned the hard way. If you bake the whole time at 350, the cake will be too dark and dry on the outside before it is baked through. If baked at 325 the whole time, the cake will not rise as much and will be dense and take-for-actual-ever.

Step 11: Warm the honey over the stove or in the microwave. Don’t overheat. You don’t want the honey to bubble. Once the cake is removed from the oven, drizzle with the honey. I find a large pastry brush does the trick.

Step 12: Cool for 30 minutes before turning out onto a cake board or plate of your choice. Carefully peel the parchment from the bottom of the cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store blueberry cake?

Store the cooled cake wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will be kept in the refrigerator for 6-7 days or 2 months in the freezer.

Can I use cottage cheese or Greek yogurt in place of the ricotta?

Technically, you can, but I wouldn’t suggest it. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt have lower fat contents and are light in flavor. The cake will be less moist and have less flavor. There is also more moisture in cottage cheese and some Greek yogurts, which will change the texture.

Will the recipe multiply?

This recipe will scale up and down! In the restaurants, we would make it with a 30 qt mixer!

What do I serve with blueberry cake?

You can simply serve the cake with honey whipped cream or a dollop of lemon curd. For a more elegant dessert, serve with gelato and blueberry sauce.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!

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