Violet’s Blueberry Pie Cake Recipe

Violet calls this a pie but I quietly shelved it under Blueberry Cake Recipes because it bakes in a pie pan yet refuses to be boxed in.

My friend Violet calls this recipe a pie but it’s really more of a cake in a pie pan but not really a cake either. I don’t want to pin it down because it surprises you, it sets like something you’d slice yet the crumbs are tender and the fruit sings.

I use all purpose flour in the base and piled with fresh blueberries so each bite feels like a small celebration. It sits weirdly between Blueberry Pie With Frozen Blueberries and Blueberry Cake Recipes you see online, the kind you make when you dont want to fuss but you want to taste something odd and unforgettable.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Gives structure, carbs for energy, can make cake a bit dense if overmixed.
• Unsalted butter melted: Adds richness, fat for mouthfeel and flavor, helps golden crust.
• Eggs: Provide protein, bind ingredients together and give lift and color.
• Fresh blueberries: Bursting with antioxidants and fiber, make the cake sweet and slightly tart.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens, feeds yeast in other bakes, contributes browning and crisp edges.
• Lemon zest: Bright citrus notes, little acidity cuts sweetness, aroma that wakes you up.
• Cornstarch: Thickens blueberry juices, keeps filling from making cake soggy, light texture.
• Milk: Adds moisture, mild dairy flavor, helps batter mix smooth and tender crumb.
• Turbinado sugar: Coarse sugar for crunchy top, extra caramel note and pretty sparkle.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk (whole or 2%)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp turbinado or coarse sugar
• Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter or nonstick spray and lightly flour it or press a circle of parchment in the bottom so the cake doesn’t stick.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.

3. In another bowl whisk 1/2 cup melted and cooled unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth.

4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined; you want a few small lumps, don’t overmix or the cake gets tough.

5. Toss 2 cups fresh blueberries with 1 tablespoon cornstarch so they don’t sink and bleed into the batter; fold the berries into the batter gently, or if you like more berries on top just scatter them on after you pour the batter.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pie pan, smooth the top a bit with a spatula, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sugar evenly over the surface for sparkle and crunch.

7. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter; start checking at 30 minutes since oven temps vary.

8. Let the pie cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes so the filling sets a bit; it will slice cleaner if it’s not piping hot.

9. Dust with powdered sugar if you want, slice and serve warm or at room temp. It keeps well wrapped in the fridge for a couple days, just bring to room temp before eating for best flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. 9-inch pie pan, greased or lined with a parchment circle so the cake wont stick
3. Two mixing bowls (one medium for dry ingredients, one for wet)
4. Whisk
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Small bowl for tossing blueberries with cornstarch
7. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold the batter gently
8. Cooling rack and a toothpick to check doneness

FAQ

Violet’s Blueberry Pie Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter (1/2 cup): swap with 1/2 cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable) or melted coconut oil 1:1. The cake will be a touch more tender and less buttery, but still yummy.
• 2 large eggs: use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, stir and let sit 5 minutes) for binding, or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for moisture. Flax gives better structure, applesauce makes it softer and a little sweeter.
• 1/2 cup milk: any unsweetened plant milk (almond, oat, soy) works 1:1, or use buttermilk 1:1 for extra tang and a richer crumb.
• 1 tbsp cornstarch: replace with 1 tbsp arrowroot or tapioca starch 1:1, or if you must use flour, use 2 tbsp all purpose flour. Arrowroot gives a clearer, glossy blueberry filling.

Pro Tips

Pro tips:

1. Let the melted butter cool until it’s just warm before you mix it with the eggs, otherwise you’ll end up with scrambled egg bits in the batter and a lumpy texture, nobody wants that.

2. Coat the blueberries in cornstarch and a little sugar in a bowl or a zip top bag so every berry gets covered, that helps them stay suspended and stops the color from turning the batter purple; if you use frozen berries toss them straight from the freezer, dont thaw them or they’ll bleed.

3. Mix the batter only until you can still see a few small streaks of flour, overmixing makes the cake tough, folding gently is your friend here so the crumb stays tender.

4. Start checking for doneness at 30 minutes, rotate the pan once halfway through if your oven has hot spots, and if the top browns too fast lay a loose piece of foil over it; cool in the pan at least 20 minutes so it slices clean, and if you store it chilled bring it back to room temp or warm slightly before serving for best flavor.

Violet’s Blueberry Pie Cake Recipe

Recipe by Tina Braven

0.0 from 0 votes

Violet calls this a pie but I quietly shelved it under Blueberry Cake Recipes because it bakes in a pie pan yet refuses to be boxed in.

Pin

Servings

8

servings

Calories

325

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. 9-inch pie pan, greased or lined with a parchment circle so the cake wont stick
3. Two mixing bowls (one medium for dry ingredients, one for wet)
4. Whisk
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Small bowl for tossing blueberries with cornstarch
7. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold the batter gently
8. Cooling rack and a toothpick to check doneness

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup milk (whole or 2%)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

• 2 cups fresh blueberries

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 2 tbsp turbinado or coarse sugar

• Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter or nonstick spray and lightly flour it or press a circle of parchment in the bottom so the cake doesn't stick.
• In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.
• In another bowl whisk 1/2 cup melted and cooled unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined; you want a few small lumps, don't overmix or the cake gets tough.
• Toss 2 cups fresh blueberries with 1 tablespoon cornstarch so they don't sink and bleed into the batter; fold the berries into the batter gently, or if you like more berries on top just scatter them on after you pour the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pie pan, smooth the top a bit with a spatula, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sugar evenly over the surface for sparkle and crunch.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter; start checking at 30 minutes since oven temps vary.
• Let the pie cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes so the filling sets a bit; it will slice cleaner if it's not piping hot.
• Dust with powdered sugar if you want, slice and serve warm or at room temp. It keeps well wrapped in the fridge for a couple days, just bring to room temp before eating for best flavor.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 128g
• Total number of serves: 8
• Calories: 325kcal
• Fat: 13.3g
• Saturated Fat: 7.9g
• Trans Fat: 0.13g
• Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
• Monounsaturated: 3g
• Cholesterol: 77mg
• Sodium: 290mg
• Potassium: 83mg
• Carbohydrates: 47.1g
• Fiber: 2.3g
• Sugar: 26g
• Protein: 4.5g
• Vitamin A: 437IU
• Vitamin C: 3mg
• Calcium: 31mg
• Iron: 1mg