Blueberry Tea Cake with Maple Syrup

Name: Blueberry Tea Cake with Maple Syrup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour; 3/4 cup whole wheat flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B (but any will do)); 1 large egg (lightly beaten); 5/8 cup milk ((1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil ((was 6 tablespoons of melted butter)); 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, do not thaw); 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/8 cup confectioners' sugar; pinch of kosher salt

by Beth Lee · Published: Oct 10, 2012 · Modified: Jan 25, 2024

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Blueberry Tea Cake with Maple Syrup looks like a cake but if you close your eyes, you'll think you're digging into a stack of luscious blueberry pancakes dripping with maple syrup.

Another great cake made with olive oil is my pear cake with olive oil.

For ease of browsing, here are all of my baking and dessert recipes and also my breakfast recipes, all in one place. Enjoy!

Close up of one slice of blueberry cake with a fork and more slices of the cake in the background.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients you'll need
Let's make this blueberry cake step-by-step!
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Other olive oil baked goods on OMG! Yummy:
Blueberry Tea Cake with Maple Syrup

This blueberry breakfast cake recipe was an early post on my blog and closely inspired by a Melissa Clark recipe from her book Cook This Now. My kids were still at home and my ritual was to bake on Saturday morning and make pancakes on Sunday.

Why you'll love this recipe

Here's why I have brought this blueberry tea cake back to life and why you will thank me.

It tastes like a cross between blueberry pancakes dripping with maple syrup and a luscious blueberry muffin but it is as simple to prepare as quick bread.
Works with frozen or fresh berries or change it up and try a different fruit!
The original blueberry tea cake recipe uses melted butter, which is fantastic but I've created a version using olive oil and I love it.
The glaze is wonderful (and I left the butter in it) but nobody will complain about a slice of this cake unglazed!

Ingredients you'll need

I like the flavor and body of adding whole wheat flour to my bakes when I can. This olive oil blueberry cake accepts the addition of some whole wheat flour really well.

Flours: I blend all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour and really like the flavor and color but you can make this with just all-purpose flour and it will come out just fine!
Maple syrup: This was Melissa Clark's idea - using maple syrup - but since then I've regularly used it as a sweetener, in my granola for example, and it's a terrific option. In this cake it gives you such a great pancake-like taste.
Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil for baking. Not my very best finishing oil but a good every day variety. Or try something like avocado oil or walnut oil or orange flavored olive oil.
Milk: I use lactose-free whole milk but if you want to make this dairy-free, I bet almond, soy, oat, or coconut milk would also work. (Haven't tested it but I feel confident it would be ok!)
Blueberries: Use fresh or frozen. If using frozen, no need to thaw - in fact, they are easier to work with and bleed less into the batter if added frozen.

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Let's make this blueberry cake step-by-step!

One bowl can work for preparing the batter for this blueberry tea cake recipe but I think using an extra bowl to whisk together the dry ingredients is a good call. If you do use one bowl, I would mix the wet ingredients first, then add the dry on top of the wet, still adding the blueberries last.

1. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Dry ingredients for the blueberry breakfast cake in a big red bowl with a whisk.

2. In another bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.

Wet ingredients for blueberry tea cake in a red bowl with a whisk nearby.

Wet ingredients mixed in the red bowl with the whisk in the bowl.

3. Add the wet mixture to the dry and blend until almost combined.

Wet and dry ingredients for blueberry tea cake in the red bowl with a red spatula.

4. Add the blueberries and continue to blend until they are incorporated. Like pancakes, do not overmix. Blend until just combined.

Blueberry breakfast cake batter almost mixed and ready for blueberries to be added.

Frozen blueberries added to batter in the red bowl.

Blueberry cake batter in a red bowl ready to bake.

5. Add the batter to your greased cake pan. I like the 8-inch square option but a small loaf pan or a round cake pan or even individual muffins or mini loaves would be a nice option. Just check timing if you change pans - the loaf pan might take longer, minis would take less time.

Blueberry loaf cake batter in the square cake pan ready to bake.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes - it will appear brown and starting to get crunchy on the edges. A cake tester will also come out clean except for a blueberry stain or two.

Blueberry tea cake baked and still in square cake pan.

7. While the blueberry breakfast cake is baking, make your glaze if using. I left the butter in the glaze because it reminds me of pancakes. Melt the butter most of the way (I just use the microwave). Add the powdered sugar and maple syrup and blend well - might need a little longer in the microwave depending on how melted the butter was.

Olive oil blueberry cake on rack with holes poked in it before glaze is added.

8. When the cake is still warm, use a toothpick or thin skewer of some sort to poke some holes in the cake. Remove the cake carefully to either a serving platter or a parchment-lined baking tray. Pour the glaze over the cake. Some of it will end of on the parchment paper (if using) - move the glazed cake to a serving platter and then carefully pour the glaze from the parchment onto the plated cake.

Olive oil blueberry cake on rack with glaze poured over and excess on the parchment paper below.

9. Serve immediately or once cool, cover and serve later.

Four slices of blueberry cake on a blue-rimmed plate with a blue-lined napkin nearby.

Expert Tips

If the blueberries are wet or defrosting, mix them with a little flour before adding to the batter.
Keep an eye on your cake in the oven (not by opening the oven frequently though). If you use a darker pan like I did or a different size pan, or your oven runs cold or hot, your bake time may differ. Always check at least five minutes prior to the recipe's suggested time.
Serving this cake without the glaze works, especially as the blueberries ooze their baked berry goodness throughout the quick bread just as they do in griddled blueberry pancakes.
For even more flavor, add some orange or lemon zest to the batter - it will marry beautifully with the blueberries.
Want to learn even more about baking with olive oil, learn from an expert who wrote a book about it! Laura Bashar of the blog Family Spice.

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze this olive oil blueberry cake?

Yes! Wrap so it is airtight, label the date you are freezing it and place in the freezer for up to two or three months. Defrost to use and I might suggest a quick stop in a 350°F oven to bring it back to life. Also, if you know you are going to freeze it, I might wait to glaze it (if using) until after you defrost it.

What kind of blueberries should I use for this cake?

Fresh berries, frozen berries or fresh berries that have been frozen will all work! In the middle of the winter, this cake is a refreshing summery treat using frozen berries.

Would dairy-free milk work in this recipe?

I have not tested it, but I would make this cake with confidence using a non-dairy substitute for the milk.

One slice of blueberry breakfast cake on a small off white plate with a fork on the side and more slices of cake in the background.

Other olive oil baked goods on OMG! Yummy:

Pear Cake with Olive Oil

Pear cake baked in a round pan and ready to serve.

Strawberry Shortcake Loaf

Shortcake loaf out of pan on parchment and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Honey Almond Cake

Honey orange cake on a white plate with slices of citrus in the background.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

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Orange Thyme Shortbread Cookies

Stack of orange shortbread cookies of different sizes with cocktails in the background.

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Blueberry Tea Cake with Maple Syrup

Beth Lee

Blueberry Tea Cake with Maple Syrup looks like a cake but if you close your eyes, you'll think you're digging into a stack of luscious blueberry pancakes dripping with maple syrup.

4.80 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Course bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 287 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup pure maple syrup preferably Grade B (but any will do)
1 large egg lightly beaten
⅝ cup milk (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (was 6 tablespoons of melted butter)
1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen, do not thaw

For the maple glaze (optional)

2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅛ cup confectioners' sugar
pinch of kosher salt

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients -- flour(s), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients -- the maple syrup, egg, milk, and olive oil.
Pour the maple syrup mixture into the flour mixture and gently mix together until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean - about 30 minutes.
While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze ingredients.
Let the cake cool slightly in the pan on a wire rack. If you are going to glaze the cake, set the wire rack over a parchment-lined sheet pan. Once the cake is slightly cooled, run the tip of a knife or spatula around the sides to loosen it. Place a plate over the cake and flip it over onto the plate, tapping the sides and bottom of the pan to make sure the cake is free. Remove the pan, turn the cake over and place it back on the wire rack over the sheet pan. (or put it directly on a serving platter)
If using the glaze, place the butter in a small microwaveable bowl, melt in the microwave. Then add the syrup, powdered sugar and pinch of salt and mix well.
Poke holes in the cake with a toothpick or thin skewer, then pour the warm glaze over the cake, letting the excess glaze drip onto the baking sheet or serving platter. If you poured it over parchment, once you place the cake on its serving platter, you can carefully lift the parchment and pour the rest of the glaze over the cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

If the blueberries are wet or defrosting, mix them with a little flour before adding to the batter.

Keep an eye on your cake in the oven (not by opening the oven frequently though). If you use a darker pan like I did or a different size pan, or your oven runs cold or hot, your bake time may differ. Always check at least five minutes prior to the recipe's suggested time.

Serving this cake without the glaze works, especially as the blueberries ooze their baked berry goodness throughout the quick bread just as they do in griddled blueberry pancakes.

For even more flavor, add some orange or lemon zest to the batter - it will marry beautifully with the blueberries.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 242mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 163IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 1mg

Keyword blueberries, maple syrup, quick bread

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