Simple Strawberry Blueberry Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Whip up this Strawberry Blueberry Cake in a flash for a delicious summer dessert. We all love the tender, sweet cake studded with fresh berries — and I love mixing up the batter by hand in one bowl. Slice and serve with a simple topping of powdered sugar or whipped cream, then dig in.
Why We Love It
This cake is a beautiful and delicious way to celebrate fresh berries! The cake itself is light and flavorful, infused with a hint of lemon and kept ultra tender by the inclusion of buttermilk in the batter. It’s a dreamy base for loads of fresh berries that look every bit as sweet as they taste.
I also love that this is super easy to make, because who has extra time in the summer to spend slaving away over elaborate cakes!? You can easily whisk this cake batter together by hand in one bowl, no electric mixer or complicated steps required.
In short, this is a dessert that makes the most of seasonal strawberries and blueberries, is quick and easy to whip up, and flexes easily for any audience. I’ve served this cake to dinner guests and stuffed squares into the hands of visiting neighborhood kids; it’s quite literally fun and tasty for all.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
A few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need; find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Fresh strawberries and fresh blueberries. Feel free to use one or the other, or swap in different berries. Just be sure you have roughly 1 and 1/2 cups total.
- Baking basics: All-purpose flour, granulated white sugar, baking powder, table salt, and vanilla extract. Substitute vanilla bean paste if you like; so good!
- Fresh lemon zest and juice.
- Two large eggs.
- Buttermilk. Perfect for adding a very subtle tang and keeping cakes incredibly tender!
- Canola oil or olive oil. Or another neutral cooking oil you like.
- Optional toppings: extra berries, whipped cream, or powdered sugar. This cake truly doesn’t need much on top to shine!
No buttermilk on hand? No problem: I’ve tested this with a mix of milk — any kind — and yogurt instead, and the cake turns out every bit as moist and fluffy.
Pro Tip
You can also make your own buttermilk by measuring 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, then pouring whole milk on top until you reach the 1 cup line. This will yield a good substitute for 1 cup of real buttermilk.
How To Make Strawberry Blueberry Cake
This is an overview; find full ingredients & instructions in the printable recipe card below.
Begin by preparing your pan: this recipe bakes up perfectly in a 9″ square baking pan. If you want to cut very clean, even slices, I highly recommend lining the pan with parchment paper, which will allow you to lift it out cleanly to cool and cut. If you’re happy serving the cake straight from the pan, simply coat the pan well with cooking spray, or butter and dust with flour.
To start the batter, rub the sugar and lemon zest together between your fingers. This simple step adds so much flavor and aroma by infusing the citrus scent into the sugar, so you get a subtle hint in every bite.
Crack the eggs directly into the lemon sugar mixture, whisk well, then whisk in the remaining liquid ingredients. The batter will be thick, smooth, and buttery yellow.
Sprinkle the dry ingredients on top of the batter and fold gently. It will start out rather lumpy, but smooth out as you fold. When mostly even, add the berries and fold again before scraping the batter out into the prepared pan. Dot a few extra berries on top for looks.
Bake for roughly 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees F, until a toothpick or sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool completely, then cut.
Pro Tip
Check your oven temperature! This cake bakes perfectly for me in 44 minutes in a 350 degree oven, but my oven retains too much heat, so I have to bring it all the way up, then reset it to 325 to maintain the correct higher temperature! If your baked goods are slightly off, a mis-calibrated oven could explain why. A very inexpensive oven thermometer will tell you for sure and allow you to make informed adjustments.
Serving Suggestions
I most love the taste and texture of this cake absolutely plain — just cooled, cut into squares, and enjoyed exactly as it comes out of the pan. This is also an especially good serving method for potlucks or picnics, since there’s no fuss and it can even be eaten this way by hand.
If you want to dress it up a little bit, though, cut and plate the individual squares, then dust them with a light layer of powdered sugar, or spread a dollop of whipped cream across the top. Homemade whipped cream is amazing, but I don’t personally turn down Cool Whip in a pinch. 🙂 A few extra berries are lovely.
For an even more elegant presentation — think sit-down summer dinner party — grate a little fresh lemon zest on top, then top with a fresh mint leaf or an edible flower.
Storage
This cake keeps well at room temperature, tightly-covered, for at least 2 days. I expect it would keep well up to 4 days, to be honest, but I have literally never been able to keep it that long to test for certain.
Related Recipes
Love summer berry desserts? Try this mixed berry galette, blueberry oatmeal crumb bars, strawberry lemonade cupcakes, strawberry mascarpone ice cream, or an old-fashioned blueberry nectarine crisp next.
If you try this Strawberry Blueberry Cake, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
You can also FOLLOW me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, and FACEBOOK for more great recipes and ideas!
Simple Strawberry Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup diced fresh strawberries
- 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk can substitute 1/2 cup milk (any kind) plus 1/2 cup whole milk plain or vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup canola or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- extra berries, whipped cream or powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper, or coat well with cooking spray, and set aside.
- Rinse strawberries and blueberries and set aside together in a small bowl.
- Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Rub the mixture lightly between your fingertips for about 1 minute, so that the sugar is infused with the lemon scent.
- Crack the eggs into the sugar mixture. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and buttery yellow, then pour in the buttermilk, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk again until smooth.
- Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, and salt on top of the batter. Fold with a spatula until mostly smooth; it will start out a little lumpy, but even out.
- Add most of the berries, reserving a few to sprinkle on top of the cake. Fold gently two or three more times, then scrape the batter out into the pan and spread into an even layer. Scatter the reserved strawberries and blueberries on top.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick or sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan.
- If you lined the pan with parchment, you can use the edges of the parchment to lift the cake out and set on a wire rack to cool completely, then cut. Otherwise, I recommend leaving the cake in the pan and serving from there.
- Cut squares and serve with dollops of whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar and extra berries on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe adapted from a Betty Crocker buttermilk cake.
