Hot Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream
Hot Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

Hot Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

5 from 1 reviews
Hot Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
There is nothing like a steaming hunk of blueberry cake topped with vanilla bean ice cream! Go lighter on the glaze than I did for pictures (I always forget how sweet it is and pour too much on) but definitely keep the extra on hand to pour at the table.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 3 cups frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
Glaze Ingredients:
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoon blueberry jam
  • 20 or so fresh blueberries, plus more for topping
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
  • milk to thin (I used around 3 tablespoons)
  • vanilla bean ice cream for serving
  • lemon zest for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Reserve about 1/4 cup of this mixture in a small bowl.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and extracts and blend until just combined. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the blueberries in the 1/4 cup reserved flour and then fold them (and the rest of the reserved flour) into the batter. (The dough is quite stiff, so be patient as you’re folding in the berries. It’ll seem like it’s mostly berries, but just trust me. It’ll be awesome.)
  3. Spread the batter into a 10-inch skillet (I used the back of two spoons to work it around.) Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs (Cooking time in a cast iron skillet can be variable, so check early and often. Mine needed around 40 minutes.)
  4. While the cake is still hot, purée the jam and blueberries together in a food processor. Add the extracts. Slowly add the powdered sugar as you process. Add milk slowly to get the desired consistency — I ended up adding about 3 tablespoons. Pour some of your glaze over the hot cake, but go light — I poured too much in the photos above and it made some bites too sweet. Serve while still warm with fresh blueberries and vanilla bean ice cream (and a little lemon zest if you wish).

 

27 Comments on Hot Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

  1. Kirsten
    March 2, 2015 at 7:34 am (9 years ago)

    Julie,
    I love to pause and read through your posts, you always have something interesting, poignant, or funny to say–thank you for that.
    This cake looks delicious and I appreciate the use of frozen blueberries. I get blueberries when they are grown close by and put them up in my freezer for the rest of the year, so it’s always nice to see a recipe using frozen blueberries when there’s snow on the ground!
    Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Katrina
    March 2, 2015 at 7:39 am (9 years ago)

    Oh man, this cake is so pretty!! And I love the glaze!

    Reply
  3. Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
    March 2, 2015 at 7:39 am (9 years ago)

    I love blueberries and this cake looks not only tasty but is gorgeous. Pinned to try!

    Reply
  4. Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
    March 2, 2015 at 8:09 am (9 years ago)

    Pictures preserve our past; reliving memories that we may not be able to remember. So I don’t buy that saying either to stop and just enjoy the moment! But this cake seems like the perfect treat to slow down with. That glaze with the vanilla ice cream. Perfection!

    Reply
  5. Aimee @ ShugarySweets
    March 2, 2015 at 8:14 am (9 years ago)

    UGH I just want to dive right in the middle and eat my way out of that skillet!!!

    Reply
  6. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
    March 2, 2015 at 10:48 am (9 years ago)

    Oh man, this is gorgeous lady! I love that you combined blueberries and some lemon zest, it makes me wish for spring! As always, your pictures are just gorgeous : )

    Reply
  7. heather @french press
    March 2, 2015 at 11:03 am (9 years ago)

    I am completely addicted to taking pictures – usually of my kids, or pets, and of course food – the pictures of your grandmothers home are just lovely, I wish someone had done that when my grandmother died.
    On a completely different note, your cake is making me incredible hungry right now

    Reply
  8. Joanie @ ZagLeft
    March 2, 2015 at 11:59 am (9 years ago)

    I am the unofficial picture taker in my family – I’ve always got my camera ready to photograph anything and everything. I’m so sorry for the loss of your grandmother. The photos of her home are lovely. This blueberry cake, by the way looks both delicious and comforting.

    Reply
  9. Catherine
    March 2, 2015 at 6:38 pm (9 years ago)

    Dear Julie, what you say is true. It is not death itself I think I fear, it is what it will leave behind. All we have are memories, it is what we hold onto so dearly. I fear leaving empty memories behind. That is why I think we do all that we can in this life to preserve those moments…So that years from now, my children and their children can look back and see the world the way we saw it…at this very moment…because life changes so quickly.
    I lost both my parents at a very young age. All I had left were the few precious memories, the moments, the letters, the pictures, and even the recipes, that carried me through all these years. Now I have the blessing to pass all of that down to my children.
    I agree, some moments cannot be captured by a single photo, some can only be felt – but like you, I take great joy in capturing as many moments as I can. We are only here for a brief and precious moment.

    In closing, your blueberry cake warms my soul. Not only because it is a comforting dessert that I could cozy up with after a long day, but because blueberries happened to also be my father’s favorite. This sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Pinning this for later. xo, Catherine

    Reply
  10. lynn
    March 2, 2015 at 10:52 pm (9 years ago)

    Death is interesting. I’m grateful I didn’t blog about every single moment during my father’s passing 2 years ago, but sometimes I look back and am glad at the times I did. Thank you for the thoughts, and as usual, the beautiful recipe.

    Reply
  11. dawn jen
    March 2, 2015 at 11:32 pm (9 years ago)

    this blueberry cake and glaze looks absolutely scrumptious delicious my son LOVES blueberries and me too thank you 🙂 stay sweet

    Reply
  12. Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits
    March 3, 2015 at 2:01 am (9 years ago)

    I know how you feel about memories capturing snapshots of our youth. I still remember all those days holding my grandmother’s hand while walking to school. I felt very sad when she passed away, and kept wishing that I had spent more time with her or took more photos of her when she was alive. But the truth is, our memories are filled with photo albums of picturesque moments. Thanks for sharing this lovely post!

    Reply
  13. DeeDee Bryans
    March 3, 2015 at 7:32 am (9 years ago)

    So sweetly and beautifully put. Your post brought tears to my eyes. I too am obsessed with taking pictures and I do think you have the perfect explanation. 🙂 Have a beautiful day.

    Reply
  14. Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie
    March 3, 2015 at 3:22 pm (9 years ago)

    Oh man I bet my dad still has a bunch of blueberries frozen in his chest freezer in the basement from when we went blueberry picking crazy over the summer. I’d love to make this!

    Reply
  15. Bernadette
    March 3, 2015 at 4:29 pm (9 years ago)

    I just love reading your blog and recipes. How do you think this would work with out the Almond extract? Would you add more vanilla or maybe lemon? My husband is allergic to the almond.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      March 3, 2015 at 6:18 pm (9 years ago)

      Hi Bernadette, thank you! Mike’s dad is also allergic to almond extract and so I use imitation almond extract, which it turns out is not made from nuts. That might work well for you. Otherwise, you can certainly leave it out or sub in more vanilla extract.

      Reply
  16. Caroline Oakes
    March 4, 2015 at 5:47 am (9 years ago)

    Thank you, Julie, for this wonderful post. I clicked on your site after reading your caring post to Barrie on Insight. I’m so happy to have found your blog. Blessings, Caroline

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      March 4, 2015 at 12:37 pm (9 years ago)

      Thank you, Caroline! Welcome!

      Reply
  17. Cookies4kids
    March 4, 2015 at 10:35 am (9 years ago)

    I often see these recipes for baking in a skillet. I do not own one, so is there an alternative pan that I can use in the oven?

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      March 4, 2015 at 12:36 pm (9 years ago)

      I would totally recommend getting a Lodge cast iron — so convenient, inexpensive, and awesome! But in the meantime, I would try it in an 8-inch square pan. Please let us know how it goes! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  18. Tami Gifford
    March 4, 2015 at 10:55 am (9 years ago)

    I am wondering if this cake would work well in a bundt or 9X13 pan…I don’t have a cast iron skillet…thanks.

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      March 4, 2015 at 12:36 pm (9 years ago)

      I would totally recommend getting a Lodge cast iron — so convenient, inexpensive, and awesome! But in the meantime, I would try it in an 8-inch square pan. Please let us know how it goes! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  19. Anna Foster
    June 16, 2018 at 10:52 am (6 years ago)

    This really struck me. How do you reconcile yourself with this? I’m looking for some kind of instruction…the fleetingness of some memories, the persistence of others, and the ephemerality of time really strikes fear and sadness into my heart. I spend quite a lot of time thinking about it and wondering how to make myself feel better about it. Sometimes I do the same, I capture pictures and videos of mundane seeming things because I want so desperately to cling to that moment forever, but I know it will be gone in a second. I’ve even taken a video of the wind , too, on my grandmother’s front porch swing. I wish I could pause time…I always just want to hold on to everything and everyone so tightly. I guess I could go on forever. My point is, now what? What do we do about it? Do you have the answer? (gentlejenna3598@yahoo.com)

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      June 23, 2018 at 4:53 pm (6 years ago)

      Anna, I wish I knew. This more than anything else is what I realize all my poems are about when I write them. I think the answer is probably something like walking straight into what we fear the most, practicing leaving and losing. Have you read Elizabeth Bishop’s poem, One Art? You might value it. I’ve almost come to think of life as practicing this art / skill / necessity.

      Reply

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