Blueberry Cinnamon Cake

This Blueberry Cinnamon Cake is a delicious way to celebrate blueberry season. It yields a tender, soft, and slightly crumbly cake full of blueberry flavor, with cinnamon layered into both the filling and the cake for warm, fragrant depth.

If you normally pair blueberries with lemon, this cake shows how well cinnamon works as a companion. I was skeptical at first, but a small amount of cinnamon in a blueberry pie suddenly brought the fruit’s sweetness forward in a new, warm way. That inspired this cake: blueberry-cinnamon filling swirled into a light, tender crumb and finished with a blueberry-infused buttercream.

The cinnamon enhances the natural sweetness of the berries instead of overpowering them. After making the filling and baking this cake a few times, I can honestly say cinnamon and blueberry are a great match — the spice gives the cake warmth and complexity while the filling adds bright berry notes.

What You Need for the Blueberry Cinnamon Cake

This recipe uses two components: a blueberry-cinnamon filling and a tender layer cake made with a combination of butter and oil for both flavor and moistness. Cake flour helps keep the crumb light and tender.

• Blueberry-cinnamon filling
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar and light brown sugar
• Vegetable oil — used along with butter for extra moisture and a soft texture
• Cinnamon — used in the filling and the cake (each calls for 1 tsp; increase to 2 tsp per component if you love cinnamon)
• Cake flour — for a delicate, tender crumb
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder and baking soda
• Eggs and egg yolks
• Sour cream — for richness and moisture

Ingredients for the Blueberry Filling

• Fresh blueberries
• Butter
• Granulated cane sugar (or substitute brown sugar)
• Cinnamon

Recipe Overview

This cake is baked in three layers and assembled with Swiss meringue buttercream that can be blended with a bit of the blueberry-cinnamon filling for a subtle fruit flavor. Full ingredient amounts and the complete method are provided below.

Blueberry Cinnamon Filling — Method

Making the filling is straightforward and only requires a saucepan:

1. Combine the blueberries, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat.
3. Simmer gently for about 15–20 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and reduced. The blueberries release a lot of juice during the first ten minutes, so begin the reduction after that initial release.
4. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before using. Keep some filling a little looser if you plan to swirl it into the batter.

Cake — Method (Creaming Method)

The cake uses the creaming method: beat the butter and sugars, add oil and eggs, then alternate the dry ingredients with the sour cream.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottoms of three 8″ round pans and line them with parchment; avoid greasing the sides so the cake can climb the pan for a taller rise.
2. Sift together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to blend and set aside.
3. Beat softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until combined.
4. Lower the speed and drizzle in the oil. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl halfway through.
5. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate fully. Then add the yolks in the same way. Scrape the bowl as needed.
6. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream, starting and ending with the flour. Turn off the mixer and finish incorporating with a rubber spatula to avoid overmixing.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 400 g per pan). Smooth the tops and dot each layer with spoonfuls of the blueberry filling.
8. Use an offset spatula or a knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, creating a marbled effect.
9. Bake for approximately 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Ovens vary, so check at 25 minutes and watch for a golden top and no wobble in the center.
10. Cool the cakes before filling and frosting.

Assembling and Frosting

Blend a few tablespoons of the blueberry-cinnamon filling into Swiss meringue buttercream for a light blueberry flavor. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of each layer to create a barrier, fill the center with extra blueberry filling, and stack. Use the remaining buttercream to coat the outside of the cake.

Important Baking Tips

• Use room-temperature ingredients. This helps the batter come together smoothly and traps more air when creaming, resulting in a lighter cake.
• Add eggs one at a time. Wait until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
• Scrape the bowl frequently. Scraping the sides and bottom ensures even mixing and prevents streaks of unmixed flour or fat.
• Do not overmix once the flour is added. Mix only until combined; overworking develops gluten and produces a dense cake.
• Avoid overbaking. Even a few extra minutes can dry a cake. Remove when a toothpick is clean and the cake no longer wobbles.

Storage and Shelf Life

The cake is best served at room temperature. Store unfrosted layers wrapped in plastic on the counter up to 48 hours, refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze up to 30 days. For freezing:

1. Frosted: seal the finished cake in an airtight container.
2. Unfrosted: wrap layers tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. Bring to room temperature before frosting and assembling.

Storing the Blueberry Filling

Keep the filling at room temperature for up to 24 hours, but refrigeration is recommended for longer storage.

Storing Buttercream

Buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to 48 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. If chilled, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip briefly before using.

Notes and Variations

• Grease the bottom of cake pans and line with fitted parchment circles. Avoid greasing the sides to allow the cake to climb for a taller, straight edge.
• The blueberry filling recipe makes enough to fill and swirl the layers; halve the filling if you only want a light swirl or are skipping the filling between layers.
• If you prefer a single cake without buttercream, halve the recipe and bake in a single 8″ pan.

Happy baking!

More recipes you might enjoy

• Cherry Chocolate Cake
• Vanilla Bean Cake

Blueberry Cinnamon Cake — Recipe Card

Blueberry Cinnamon Filling

• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbsp butter

Blueberry Cinnamon Cake

• 2 cups cake flour (240 g)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (80 g)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 large egg yolks (100 g)
• 2 large eggs (100 g)
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (100 g)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (100 g)
• 1 cup sugar (200 g)
• 1 cup light brown sugar (200 g)
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp full-fat sour cream (320 g)
• 1/2 cup blueberry cinnamon filling (for batter swirls)

Filling and Frosting

• Swiss meringue buttercream (one recipe)
• 3 tbsp blueberry cinnamon filling, mixed into some of the buttercream for flavor

Instructions (Short)

1. Prepare the filling by simmering blueberries, sugar, cinnamon, and butter until thickened, about 15–20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare three 8″ pans.
3. Sift dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugars, add oil, then eggs and yolks one at a time.
4. Alternate adding dry ingredients with sour cream, finish by folding in by hand to avoid overmixing.
5. Divide batter into pans, dot with filling, swirl, and bake 35–40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool, fill with buttercream and blueberry filling, and frost.

Prep: 45 mins  |  Cook: 30 mins  |  Serves: 12