On Saturday morning I told Sophie. That’s it. I am getting my beach body back.

(It’s amazing what not running 40 miles a week while still going to the gym the other three days a week will do to your beach body.)


So I made a plan for myself. (In my head. If I had written it down, I might have had proof that any of this had happened. And then I might have had to stick to it. And that might have been a shame.)

Which included adopting Mark Bittman’s vegan-before-dinner diet. And a whole lot of Greek yogurt.

That virtuosity lasted all of about three hours before she found me in the kitchen knee-deep in a buttermilk-infused cake batter.

It has blueberries! I replied indignantly to her arched eyebrows.

Mmhmmm.
Maybe I’ll just forget the bathing suit. Go with a really nice (loose) sundress instead.

This month’s pick for Have the Cake was Gourmet’s infamous buttermilk cake that has made the rounds on just about every blog imaginable since it was published in June 2009. And with good reason. One. It is easy. And delicious. Two things I look for in a cake. Two. It pairs well with just about any berry. So no matter what you have sitting in that bowl on your counter. Throw it in. Mix. Match. Experiment. This cake is a survivor. It will prevail. Three. It goes really well with strawberry whipped cream. Which is my new obsession. And my own little twist to the cake. An attempt to kick all of the living virtuosity out of it. If you will. Totally worth it.

Blueberry Buttermilk Cake
Makes 1 9-inch cake, adapted from Gourmet

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp sugar, divided
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.

2. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl, cream together the butter and 2/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Add egg and beat well.

3. In three batches, add the flour, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the cake pan. Scatter the blueberries on top. Then scatter the 1 1/2 tbsp sugar on top.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Strawberry Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup pureed strawberries

1. In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until it has the consistency of whipped cream. Add in the sugar. Add in the strawberry puree. Whip until it again reaches desired consistency.

This is also my submission to the Monthly Mingle the theme of which is Special Sweet Treats. It is being hosted by Erin of The Apartment Kitchen.

Please remember to send your Regional Recipes: Vietnam entries to [email protected]! The deadline is June 1st!

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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100 Responses to Blueberry Buttermilk Cake with Strawberry Whipped Cream – Have the Cake

  1. ahah i told myself i’d get beach ready….but then i was sitting in the kitch eatingchocolate cake. FAIL.

    oh. btw, hung out with someone yesterday.

  2. I keep trying to keep on track too but then I read these blogs with delicious, tasty looking blueberry cakes! It’s nice to have SOMEONE to blame!

  3. Kristen says:

    In the cake’s defense, it doesn’t have a heavy crumb topping and it is full of antioxidants! Looks wonderful to me!!!

  4. The blueberry cake looks splendid! I love the strawberry whipped cream. You have a few more weeks to get bikini-ready. 🙂

  5. micro sucks balls doesn’t it?! hate it.

    email is being sent (not much is goin on the blog. )

    she’s doing it in dallas. i’ll find out the place, but she’s not doing it at baylor.

  6. Duchess says:

    That cake looks amazing! I’m thinking about giving it a try with strawberries since I have extra :0) I’ll let you know what happens.

  7. Ty'sMommy says:

    Beach body? Hell, I don’t even know what this is anymore…

    The cake looks absolutely amazing, though! It reminds me of a concoction my mom used to make that she called Blueberry Boy-Bait. I’m gonna have to dig that recipe out…

  8. yummy!…I simply love the clicks!

  9. Lea Ann says:

    I’m justglad Colorado has no beaches. The cake looks great Joanne

  10. As am sitting at ur post, well am relishing a very warm , hot rite outa the oven actually piece of buttermilk goodness too:-)))
    Some of the goodness still sits in the oven ,baking away:-)))
    Pics tomoro, yeah will save some i promise:-)

    Ur beach body will be perfect even with this cake,make d 3 to 6 times a week,[besides d running] the gym part with lods of aero/cardio and weights and ur way to go…well whom i telling this too, d expert herself:-)
    I’ll be glad if this goes thru, I have been looking at this buttermilk cake myself for awhile:-)
    And u have a perfectly excitn version here , am loving ur strawberry cream too:-)
    I sure mus send my treats to MM too:-)thanxx for the ping!

  11. Had to tell u about the vanilla Cups u baked for Daniel-hey happy birthday Dan…..
    Love those gorgeous specs of vanilla ,as muc as the brite baby blue frosting…it rocks!!
    ANd so do u!!

    Our dear pal CHaya has written the most wonderfully , so very true , ”happy to meet Jo” and i think u should link it up in ur next post to let all ur fans know how wonderful u r…
    im on the same page and so so so very muc agree with here …totally!!!

  12. Katerina says:

    You are not helping me here. With this cake how can I keep on with my diet?

  13. Biren says:

    The blueberry cake looks amazing! Buttermilk always make baked goods so moist and tender. It is a real challenge to write a food blog and still maintain a decent weight with exercise. I think I may need a break from blogging to shed those few extra pounds gain during the winter and sitting in front of the computer.

  14. Kelsey says:

    how could anyone try and get a beach body when they have delicious blueberries in a sweet cake floating around in their heads!!

    yea when u said u used to run frequently but obv. can’t now.. i felt terrible… i know that would be so hard to have an injury and just not be capable.. i guess lifting weights is always a good option when its done properly. and if u like swimming too…

    im sure u have a fabulous beach body right now tho!! <3

  15. Pam says:

    This sounds and looks delicious! I have to give it a try! This must be the day for BB as I post about BB muffins! Nothing beats blueberries!

  16. Marisa says:

    It’s blueberries. And blueberries are a superfood. Hence, you did good by baking & gobbling up this cake. Am I right?

  17. Suman says:

    love blueberries in cake…that cake looks amazing Joanne!

  18. The sundress works for me! And so does this lovely cake! I can’t wait for blueberries from my garden – this is a definite must make. And the whip cream? Just pass the bowl and a spoon, please.

  19. Pam says:

    Bookmarked! Who needs a beach body when they could eat this divine cake??? It truly makes my mouth water.

  20. RamblingTart says:

    Ohhh, this is SCRUMPTIOUS, Joanne! 🙂 You make me laugh. 🙂 I figure a few wobbly bits are a fair exchange for a whole year of divine food!!

  21. wow, girl! that is amazingly tempting. YUM.

    can’t wait to try other flavors of whipped cream — what a great idea!

  22. Mo Diva says:

    every day i think about my bathing suit situation and then at the end of hte day i convince myself taht I would never wear one anyway…so there. eat the damn cake! LOL it look sgreat

  23. Toni says:

    Ya know, I don’t like it very much when you post recipes that I can make without having to run to the store. The sundress sounds like a good idea.

    I will not make cake, I will not make cake, I will not make cake…

  24. sra says:

    Beach body? I don’t even have a daily-life body, ROFL! Looks lovely with all that fruit.

  25. :-))) Blueberries. Greek Yogurt. Buttermilk. All in one cake. Joanne, do you do outside catering?:-) This looks wowed.

  26. Raina says:

    Sometimes you just gotta have the buttah..lol We can’t be good all the time or we would just be too cranky. This looks like an amazingly delicious cake and with strawberry whipped cream..my goodness. This will make a great barbecue dessert. Thanks!

  27. This would put me in a heavenly food coma! The inclusion of the greek yogurt is a fabulous idea.

    And, by the way, I need to pay more attention to these “Regional Recipe” postings. It’s a terrific idea!

  28. The blueberry cake looks really really delicious and I love strawberry cream 🙂 Yummm:)

  29. Hannah says:

    That is one seriously GORGEOUS cake! Love how it looks just packed with blueberries… It simply screams “summer!”

  30. Shannon says:

    while that cake looks absolutely fantastic, i’m all over that strawberry whipped cream 🙂

  31. Sanem says:

    Joanne, this cake looks fantastic. I was going for muffins but I think I’ll be making these with blueberries next. Thanks.

  32. Barbara says:

    I gotta tell you, Joanne, that cake is NOT going to help you with your beach body. And it’s not going to help me if I make it! I’m drooling on my keyboard. 4 PM is NOT a good time to be reading your blog.
    I’m saving this recipe for company….

  33. Laurie says:

    This is so full of berry deliciousness! Yumm. 🙂

  34. That cake is too good to pass up; plus it is healthier than most. I would work on the bikini body for 2 weeks, not a day more.

  35. teresa says:

    beach body smeach body, lol! sometimes i think my extra pudge is worth tasty treats like this, it looks awesome!

  36. Amy says:

    Moving back to California, from Minnesota, was a wake up call last week when it reached the 80’s and I realized that I will probably be wearing a bathing suit. I wasn’t laughing.

  37. Faith says:

    This cake is definitely worth blowing the diet over! Not only does it look gorgeous (I love the sugar on top!) but I bet it tastes fabulous…I’d probably find a way to justify eating it for breakfast. 🙂

  38. saveur says:

    I love it when a recipe gets the communal nod from food bloggers… it is probably the best endorsement a recipe can get. 🙂

  39. great cake I do a loose sundress I know I know I should do better as an RD!

  40. Stella says:

    Hey Joanne, this cakes sounds like awesomeness! Your photo lighting is really pretty too-very warm…

  41. elra says:

    The cake sounds amazing Joanne.

  42. theUngourmet says:

    It’s all just perfect…the cake, the strawberry cream, the photos… I say, to heck with swimsuits, I’m eatin’ cake! 😉

  43. Chris says:

    “Maybe I’ll just forget the bathing suit.”

    Just don’t go to the pool or beach that way;)

    Exceptional looking dessert, Joanne!!!!

  44. I like the idea of a nice, loose sun dress for summer rather than a bathing suit! Then, I can enjoy as much of this cake as I want. I like the idea of strawberry whipped cream too!

  45. polwig says:

    I know what you mean, I ran my first marathon this past october as a nursing mom of twins… I did ok 4:24 + provided I did not sleep all night or any night during my training…. I got pneumonia chicago weather was a lot different then virginia where I trained.. I decided to take a break and the pounds keep on creaping… this past month I finally gave up on nursing which curbed my appetite a bit but still not as much.. that is what I loooooovvveee about running you can eat whatever you want and not gain a pound 😉 now I am still sitting on my tush so I have to move more and will eat/have this cake

  46. Danielle says:

    blueberries AND buttermilk? oh man….its a good thing I don’t have a beach body cuz it would be in serious trouble!!

  47. Yes, ma’am…this recipe has made it’s rounds in Blogosphere, and mine was one of them. I love this cake. I’ve been debating making some, but with olallieberries…which are taking their damn sweet time to ripe in this cold California weather. Arrrrrrrrg.

  48. sweetlife says:

    beach body…hmm I’ll take two pieces and even more of the whipped loveliness..yum
    sweetlife

  49. PJ says:

    have the cake and eat it too thats what this cake sounds like to me! looks so delicious and ofcourse everything with berries in it is always so yummy.

  50. Ack! Pull out the muumuu now if you must because this cake is just the thing to make you want dessert all day. Yum!

  51. Wooow!!! recipes with berries always tastes good dear..cake came out perfect n the way you presented with whipped strawberry cream looks superb.

  52. Little Inbox says:

    I would love to have a piece, can I?

  53. Nice & spongy cake..loved the ingredients you used here…lovely one,.

  54. Debinhawaii says:

    Beautiful cake–so many blueberries and I love the strawberry-whipped cream. They make really cute beach cover-ups now so have another piece of cake! 😉

  55. knk says:

    it looks amaing i love it its really delicious , i love this cake

  56. oo yum…look at all those berries!

  57. Talita says:

    Wow! So fruity! Sounds delicious! Love buttermilk cake.

  58. Koek! says:

    Love your writing style. So glad to have discovered your blog 🙂
    Robyn

  59. Simply Life says:

    ha, I love the post! This looks delicious!

  60. Azita says:

    love this fruity, flavorful and gorgeous cake! Yummy!

  61. Wow, look at all those blueberries! And it sounds just wonderful with strawberry whipped cream!

  62. Muneeba says:

    Sundress it is! A minor, teeny tiny sacrifice really, when u think abt it. That strawberry whipped cream will please u in ways that no bikini ever would! 😉

  63. Mary says:

    Your blueberry cake is why God had to create cover-ups :-). This looks amazingly good. And blueberries are really good for you besides. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary

  64. How beautiful! Love your blog and the title. I am going for the sundress this year 🙂

  65. Astra Libris says:

    Strawberry whipped cream??!! *dreamy swoon* 🙂

  66. What a great use of those little antioxidant marvels. The strawberry whip cream looks fantastic.

    Cheers!

  67. sophia says:

    Well, blueberries have antioxidants. It’s all good for you! 😀

    I don’t care for cake much…but I would eat that cream by the spoonful!

  68. Debbie says:

    I love cakes with fruits and this looks so good, especially with the strawberry cream. Just perfect!!!!

  69. Kim says:

    Once that fracture has healed you will be up and in top shape in no time at all! In the meantime, enjoy your resting period. The blueberry cake with strawberry cream sounds delightful! I hear that blueberry cake is part of a healthy breakfast 😉

  70. Julie says:

    i say to get ready for summer you should remake this cake but this time in your bathing suit.

    …no?

    well then my vote is for cake.

    who needs the beach anyways right?

  71. Cake looks delicious but I’m drooling over that bowl of strawberry whip cream…sundress for me!

  72. Lol!! Joanne I laughed and laughed! What a great post and beautiful cake.

  73. Sook says:

    Wow, Joanne, the cake looks so delicious! I haven’t baked in so long. I should really start baking – starting with this yummy cake. 🙂

  74. msmeanie says:

    I say on with the sundress if it means you can enjoy this cake. 🙂 It seriously looks amazing!! And so perfect for summer/spring. Don’t worry about your running injury. Just give it some time (I know, I know, easier said than done), and you will be back in your running shape again soon!

  75. Julie says:

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  76. Julie says:

    Wow, I totally can’t spell or make sense. I was trying to say this looks delicious!!

  77. Kristen says:

    Since this delicious cake has blueberries in it, I can convince myself that it is healthy. Looks great!

  78. Megan B says:

    I too love to bake and run. I figure I have to run to justify the baking.

    The one bad thing about summer…getting ready for the bathing suits again!

    Great pictures by the way!

  79. I am the one who drools over these cakes and sticks with the greek yogurt. I don’t really wear bikinis so perhaps i should just eat the cake 🙂 Looks fabulous!

  80. Gorgeous cake! Beach bods are overrated anyhow. That is all.

  81. Ameena says:

    This is the type of cake I would eat, even though I am gluten-intolerant. Some things are worth the risk!

  82. Charles says:

    Joanne,

    You have some very nice photography on your site and I hope you will consider submitting some of it to FoodGazing.com. FoodGazing is a new site and we are looking for quality food photography and great recipes. We would welcome your photo and link submissions. Congratulations on the running and weightloss. I hope you are a member of the NYRRC. They have some great events here in NYC.

  83. Jessica says:

    Evil, evil cake! LOL Love the pictures and the recipe looks easy and delicious! Loved your post!

    [email protected]

  84. tigerfish says:

    I am so attracted by all the blueberries “floating” on top…..:D

  85. M D says:

    You are making me drool over this cake. Love this cake. Cant resist the temptations!

  86. Nadji says:

    Un gâteau magnifique. BRAVO!!!!
    See soon.

  87. Maria says:

    I made this with blackberries and rhubarb. So good! I will try blueberries next!

  88. Carolyn Jung says:

    It’s healthy, right? 😉
    I mean, it’s got TWO kinds of fruit in it, so it has to be. Yeah, that’s what I’m telling myself after I cut a second slice to enjoy. heehee

  89. grace says:

    when my metabolism goes, i’ll say screw it–give me a muumuu and a slab of cake. 🙂

  90. Catherine says:

    Wow this looks wonderful Joanne! Perfect dish for the warmer season!
    Have a wonderful weekend~

  91. Cynthia says:

    This looks wonderful! Forget about the bikini – food is more worth it 😉

  92. Karen says:

    OMG this looks wonderful. I love the sugary crust here and there. I’ll have to make this.

  93. Shirley says:

    Dont know about the beach body, but this is a certainly sexy looking cake. Well done!

  94. Erin says:

    Looks amazing! Can’t wait to get some blueberries for myself!

  95. This looks amazing! I’ve definitely had this on my “to bake” list for a while. It’s a difficult battle between beach body and baked goods!

  96. Chanel11 says:

    This look so yummy – definitely have the cake and eat it too

  97. Anonymous says:

    made this for an early fourth of july get-together and it was delicious!!
    only thing, my blueberries sunk to the bottom! i still can’t figure out what i did. but it was oh-so-yummy nonetheless.

  98. Jeremy says:

    We totally have the same mentality when it comes to fruit/baking. “But it has blueberries in it!!” I’ve totally used that line before, hahah.

    Btw, I’m making this. Tomorrow. For breakfast.

  99. Alexa Picciotto says:

    I made this cake with raspberries instead of blueberries and it was absolutely amazing! We ate the whole cake in less than 24 hours. Love this blog!

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