Easy One-Bowl Strawberry and Blueberry Cake

This strawberry and blueberry cake comes together in one bowl with no mixer and uses fresh berries that sink into a buttery crumb. It stays tender and moist for a couple of days, which makes it a solid pick for a weekend bake.

The batter is lightly sweet so the fruit really pops, and the top bakes up with golden edges and juicy bursts of berry all through the slice.

Why This Berry Cake Always Works

Melted butter and buttermilk keep the crumb soft without any creaming, so you get a tender cake with barely any effort. The berries bring their own brightness, so you don’t need much else.

The recipe is forgiving: you can swap in whatever berries are on your counter and it still bakes up beautifully. Every time I pull it out of the oven, the kitchen smells like warm blueberry muffins, and the first warm slice disappears fast.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature: plain yogurt thinned with a little milk works too
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced small
• 1 cup fresh blueberries: small wild blueberries hold their shape well, but regular are fine

Variations / Substitutions

• Swap the berries: use all strawberries, all blueberries, or a mix of raspberries and blackberries; total volume stays 2 cups.
• Dairy-free: replace butter with melted refined coconut oil, and buttermilk with a plant-based milk plus 1½ tsp lemon juice stirred in.
• Lemon kick: add 1 tsp lemon zest to the wet ingredients to brighten the flavor.
• Sugar crust: sprinkle 1 tbsp coarse sugar over the batter before baking for a crackly top.
• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The texture will be a bit more delicate.

If you want a spiced fall version, my Cinnamon Apple Skillet Cake works with the same easy method.

How to Make Strawberry and Blueberry Cake

Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar together for about 30 seconds until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add both eggs, the vanilla, and the buttermilk, then whisk until smooth and a shade paler, about 1 minute.

You’ll see the batter turn glossy and slightly thick. That’s the moment to stop whisking and move onto the dry ingredients.

Step 2: Fold in the Dry Ingredients

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt right on top of the wet mixture. Stir with a silicone spatula just until you can’t see any dry streaks. This only takes about 15 careful turns of the bowl; overmixing will make the cake tough.

The batter will be thick but should drop off the spatula in a heavy ribbon. A few small lumps are fine, they’ll bake out.

Step 3: Add the Berries

Gently fold in the strawberries and blueberries using the same spatula, giving it no more than 4 or 5 turns so the fruit stays whole. A little pink streaking from the strawberries is normal and will look pretty once baked.

Try not to crush the berries, especially the strawberries, because they release more juice and can weigh down the crumb. Work quickly so the batter doesn’t sit.

Step 4: Bake the Cake

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Start checking at 40 minutes. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. The cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan when it’s done.

Step 5: Slice and Serve the Cake

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Slice while still warm and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream.

When you cut in, the crumb will be soft and buttery, with pockets of jammy strawberry and whole blueberry dotted through each wedge.

Tips for an Extra-Tender Berry Cake

• Coat the blueberries in a teaspoon of flour before folding them in, especially if they are large or wet, so they don’t sink to the bottom while baking.
• Don’t use frozen berries without thawing and patting them dry first, or the extra liquid will turn the crumb gummy.
• If your brown sugar has dried out, use all granulated sugar; the result is still soft.
• This cake is best the day it’s made, but a rest overnight in an airtight container actually melds the berry flavor into the crumb nicely.

Bake times by pan:

The loaf may need a foil tent after 30 minutes, and muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Storing Leftovers

• Refrigerate: keep the cake tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
• Reheating: warm individual slices in a 300°F (150°C) toaster oven for 5 minutes, which refreshes the buttery edges.
• Serve cold: the cake is nice straight from the fridge with coffee; the texture firms up a little but stays tender.

What To Serve With Strawberry and Blueberry Cake

A thick spoonful of barely sweetened whipped cream balances the bright fruit, and the fat cuts through the sugar. For brunch, a side of crisp bacon and a cup of black tea makes the cake feel like a treat without being too dessert-heavy. If you’re serving it as a casual dessert, a small bowl of vanilla ice cream slowly melting over a warm slice is hard to beat because the cold creaminess contrasts with the warm, soft crumb.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen berries?

Yes, but thaw and pat them very dry with paper towels first so extra juice doesn’t make the cake soggy.

What if I don’t have buttermilk?

Stir 1½ tsp white vinegar or lemon juice into ½ cup whole milk, let it sit for 5 minutes, and use that instead.

Will this work as a sheet cake?

For a 9×13-inch pan, double the recipe and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 35 to 40 minutes, checking for doneness a few minutes early.

How do I keep the berries from sinking?

Toss the blueberries with a teaspoon of the flour from the measured amount before folding them in, and sprinkle them across the top of the batter just before baking.

Strawberry and Blueberry Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 310

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced small
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar for 30 seconds, then add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, whisking until smooth.
2. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Stir gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain, about 15 turns.
3. Gently fold in the strawberries and blueberries with 4 or 5 strokes, keeping the fruit whole.
4. Scrape batter into pan, smooth the top, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
5. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a wire rack. Slice warm and serve with powdered sugar or whipped cream.

Notes

Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing; it’s fragile when hot. For the best texture, store it at room temperature overnight in an airtight container, which softens the berries even more.