No-Fuss Blueberry Muffin Cake
All the Flavor. None of the Muffin Tin.
More recipes like this one land in your inbox every week. Subscribe to Fresh Roots Living and cook along with us.
Regardless of what’s going on during your weekend, or how busy your summer has gotten, your guests and kids will always love something warm from the oven, served alongside a hot cup of coffee or a fresh glass of juice. There’s nothing quite like blueberry muffins for that. But if you’re like me and don’t want to fuss with cupcake liners and muffin tins on a Saturday morning, here’s the trick: take your favorite muffin batter, pour it into your favorite baking dish, and in 45 minutes you’ll have an incredible, luscious blueberry muffin cake — the kind you slice into wedges and serve with fresh whipped cream or a few extra blueberries tossed with a hint of sugar.
It’s the same cozy flavor, none of the fuss. And honestly, it feels a little more special served this way — like a Sunday dessert that happens to double as breakfast.
Blueberry Muffin Cake
Serves 8–10 | Bakes in about 45 minutes
Ingredients
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1½ tsp vanilla extract
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tbsp coarse or turbinado sugar, for the top
Instructions
Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or a deep 9-inch round baking dish so the cake releases easily after baking.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth and fully incorporated.
Combine the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold together gently until just combined. A few streaks of flour are perfectly fine. Overmixing will make the cake less tender.
Add the blueberries: Toss the blueberries with a spoonful of flour, then gently fold them into the batter. This simple step helps keep the berries suspended throughout the cake instead of settling at the bottom.
Fill the pan: Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle generously with coarse sugar for a crisp, lightly crunchy finish.
Bake the cake: Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let it rest: Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. The cake holds together best when it’s warm, not piping hot.
Serve it straight from the dish, cut into generous squares, with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a spoonful of blueberries tossed with a little sugar and a squeeze of lemon.
This is the kind of recipe that feels like the whole point of a slower season — something warm on the counter, something to gather around, made without overthinking it. That’s the antidote to overwhelm right there: less fuss, more table.
Happy baking, Cari Ann
Cari Ann Carter is the best-selling author of Are Your Roots Right? Rightsize Your Space. Reclaim Your Life. and a multi-faceted entrepreneur with a passion for intentional living, design, and home.
She leads the Cari Ann Carter Group, bringing over 28 years of experience in real estate, design, build, and renovation, and is the creative voice behind DIY Designer Homestead.
Through Fresh Roots Living, she shares practical ideas for cooking, gardening, entertaining, and creating a home that supports your next chapter.