Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Cake (Printer View)

Tangy sourdough cake bursting with blueberries and lemon, topped with a sweet, lemon icing drizzle.

# Components:

→ Cake

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter, unfed or discard
06 - 1/4 cup whole milk
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, plus extra for garnish

→ Icing Drizzle

14 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# Method steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch oven-safe skillet with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
05 - Mix in vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir in sourdough starter until combined.
06 - Add half of the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Add milk, then remaining flour mixture, stirring gently but thoroughly.
07 - Fold in blueberries with a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
08 - Pour batter into prepared skillet and spread evenly. Sprinkle additional blueberries on top if desired.
09 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10 - Cool in skillet for 15 minutes.
11 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice to form a thick but pourable icing.
12 - Drizzle icing over cooled cake. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough starter adds a subtle tangy depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • One skillet means less cleanup and a gorgeous presentation straight from oven to table.
  • Fresh blueberries burst with juice and turn the crumb beautifully speckled without any fussy folding techniques.
02 -
  • If your batter seems too thick, it means your sourdough starter is thicker than mine—add a splash more milk until it looks like thick brownie batter, not stiff bread dough.
  • Don't bake this in a regular cake pan if you want that gorgeous caramelized skillet crust; the sides won't develop that golden crunch any other way.
03 -
  • Make sure your cast iron skillet is truly oven-safe before using it; if the handle isn't metal, it won't survive 350°F in your oven.
  • The sourdough starter does a lot of the rising work, so don't feel like you need to oversweeten—this cake is lightly sweetened on purpose, and the icing adds just enough extra sugar.
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