Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake Recipe (2024)

This cake is excellent and as a previous cook noted, it is beautiful out of the oven. I used cranberries instead of blueberries and did not increase the sugar - it was not necessary (I actually tossed the cranberries with 1/4 c, not 1/3 c). I also increased the poppy seeds to 1/4 cup. It is sufficiently sweet and I don't think the glaze is necessary. (Also reduced butter to 6 T with no apparent negative repercussions.) I will make this again and serve it for dessert, not just brunch.

Very attractive and tasty. Be sure not to overbake. I wish I had taken mine out 5 min earlier, it was a tad dry around the edges. I am going to try it again with just buttering the pan and skipping the flouring. It added an unpleasant-tasting coating on the bottom of the cake, probably because the batter is very thick and can't incorporate the additional flour.

This is delicious. I used 1/2 c. sugar in the cake and 1/4 c. for the fruit, and it was perfect with the sweetness of the glaze. I added lemon zest to batter, fruit, and glaze, which made for a more summery version of the cake. I recommend checking after 40 minutes - 45 seemed a bit long and the edges will dry out. Note for thawing: I popped my frozen blueberries in the oven on a baking sheet while the oven was preheating. They dried out nicely.

I would make it again with some tweaks. I reduced sugar in the batter to 1/2 cup, which was plenty. Topping was too sugary, made as directed, and the (fresh) blueberries tended to roll off as the cake was cut. Next time I might mash them up a bit before cooking. I don't have a spring-form pan, so I used a Pyrex square pan lined with parchment paper- two sheets crisscrossed- and no butter or flour. It worked fine- I just slid the paper out after baking (with a little help from a spatula.)

This is my new favorite. I love anything with poppy seeds but this was among the best. Easy and quick to make. I used whole wheat pastry flour and frozen blueberries and it turned out wonderful. I can't wait to try it with peaches this summer!

Delicious! Instead of milk I used half of a small lemon to mix with the sugar. Great summer cake

Instead of adding nutmeg to the blueberries, I shaved little strips of lemon zest into the fruit and sugar mixture. I liked tasting lemon in the fruit as well as the cake. The part of the cake under the berries was a little soggy, but I don't know how I could avoid that. It didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the dessert. I will make this again.

Took a chance and made it with Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 Gluten Free Flour and it worked! I used fresh blueberries and omitted the flour in the topping mixture. Brought it to a pot luck brunch and there wasn’t any leftover.

Very nice coffee cake. I did not have poppy seeds at home and added a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Otherwise followed the instructions closely.
Baking time is 45 minutes. Lovely with creme fraiche on the side.

For an attractive variation on the crust, use a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

I used labneh and a few drops of water instead of sour cream, thick batter. I reduced berries by half as they were still mostly frozen when I baked, but the final product was not wet and with a lovely crumb. Poppy seeds negligible, will add more next time. A smooth, rich cake...just delicious.

This was spectacular! The bare edges and top formed into a nutty brown crust, while the center with the blueberries was soft and jammy. I used tart blueberries which contrasted nicely with the sweetness of the crumb. Baked up in 45 mins in a glass buttered & floured Pyrex dish (12x8) and we cut it right out of the pan. No need for a springform. Next time I would skip the glaze, cut the sugar in the cake to 1/2 cup, increase the poppy seeds to quarter cup, and spread the blueberries all over.

Made this for a birthday brunch and it’s a keeper!Following several comments I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup in the batter. I also upped poppy seeds to 3 Tbsp and I subbed 1/3 of the flour for almond flour, which made for a moist and nutty cake. Fresh blueberries were rolled in the flour & nutmeg, then sprinkled with Maple sugar after placing them on the cake. Once baked and very lightly drizzled with glaze (to which I added lemon) it was a truly beautiful cake and the texture was perfect.

The sugar in the topping does not really mix with the floured blueberries, so next time I might sprinkle on the sugar after the blueberries are placed on the cake. This would make it easier to evenly distribute the sugar. Not easy to test for doneness with all those moist blueberries in the center, might need to allow for a few wet crumbs on the tester to avoid over baking.

Add lemon juice to powdered sugar

Beautiful cake but too sweet. Next time I'll reduce sugar in the cake to 1/3 cup (not 1/2 like I used) and leave off the topping. Maybe just sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.

Love it!! Needed a quick and easy dessert for last minute birthday celebration. This worked perfectly - looks impressive and is tasty. Cut sugar - used 1/2c for the batter, and two tablespoons for filling. For the next time: much less flour in the filling, and shake off before adding — excess was visible on baked cake (covered with icing). Rotate after 25-min; mine only needed 15 more after that (edges were starting to dry).

Almost forgot! Used 2 cups fresh blueberries. Batter will be thick, but easy to spread. As Ellen noted, no need to flour the pan — I just heavily buttered the springform. Perhaps different with a regular baking pan, but can imagine bits of raw flour since batter is so dry. Also used lots of lemon zest in the batter and for filling. May try to add a splash of lemon juice to the filling next time.

Very good. I spread the center part even thinner to help with getting it cooked enough (though it was still barely enough). Also, people said that the blueberries rolled off, but if you cut up or mash some of them, they will provide enough juice to mix with the sugar and flour and let them stick together.

Hi. Can I substitute the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt?

Used 10in springform pan, 25min was perfect.

Delicious and a keeper. The freshly grated nutmeg was sublime-had to add a few extra scrapes on top before putting it in the oven. The uncooked batter was concerningly thick but all worked out fine. I will make again this weekend and just bake for 40 minutes.

Very good! I made it DAIRY FREE and I was very, very happy by how moist and fluffy it turned out. I substituted butter by same quantity vegan butter (Country Crock) and use 7oz of heavy unsweetened coconut cream instead of sour cream. I added the juice of 1/2 a lemon to batter. 1/2 C sugar as suggested by others . Fresh blueberries on top. 50 mn in oven. Didn’t turn out soggy at all and was a hit amongst fussy eaters.

Add a bit of lemon zest

This was an abject failure for me. The 2 cups of blueberries on top prevented the batter underneath from baking. It was gooey and raw. The outside portion was baked but not the large center area under the blueberries, I used fresh blueberries. I baked it longer but that didn’t help. The center would not get done. My oven temp is accurate and I am an experienced baker so I’m stumped.

The batter thickness made it difficult to keep a thin covering up the sides of the pan.

good, simple, tasty. The cake under the berries (which were fresh) was a little gluey while the crust edges were fully baked. This could work with many kinds of fruitI subbed almond flour for 1/2C just to add flavor and skipped the icing. Also, reduced the cake's sugar.

I thought this was ok, sort of a blueberry muffin in cake form. I followed the recipe as written, and the batter was more like dough. It was dry enough that over mixing could be an issue, and it was difficult to spread out in the pan. I found the cake itself to be too sweet, as well. I don’t think I’ll make this one again.

Didn’t care for this one. I would have either have doubled the poppy’s or left them out and replaced lemon zest with a simple vanilla extract. The lemon blueberry-ishness was too much for me. I also cooked a smidge too long and it was too dry, should have taken out when it was a bit still wet in center.