Blueberry cornbread is a deliciously moist, lightly sweetened and savory cornbread packed with tart, ripe and juicy blueberries. This blueberry cornmeal bread is easy to make in a jiffy and is equally perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
My hands down favorite type of cake to make is a simple, slightly rustic and flavorful cake. My Blueberry Ricotta Cake, Orange Olive Oil Cake, Lemon Ricotta Cake, Limoncello Cake and Almond Cake are just a few of my favorite simple dessert cakes on the blog. If you’re a fan of simple cakes with tons of fresh flavor this cornmeal cake with salted honey frosting is for you.
- Layers of flavor and textures. One thing I adore about this cornbread with blueberries is the mix of complementary flavors and textures. The combination of buttermilk and cornmeal creates a beautiful tender, moist and fluffy crumb with a hint of sweet cornmeal flavor. The blueberries bring a burst of fresh, jammy and slightly tart flavor to each bite.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This blueberry cornbread packs some seriously bakery worthy flavor, but is just as easy to make as any other cornbread recipe.
Ingredients
This cornbread with blueberries recipe requires just a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, oil, eggs, buttermilk and blueberries.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended ingredient substitutions to make this easy corn meal and blueberry bread if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make this cornmeal dessert cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Make sure to weigh the flour (150 g) versus cup for cup.
- Cornmeal: Feel free to use white or yellow cornmeal. I personally love using yellow cornmeal. Fine or medium grind work best for this cornbread dessert. Polenta or semolina also work well as a substitute for cornmeal.
- Baking Powder: This recipe has not been tested with baking soda.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use your preferred butter. A good plant based option is Miyokos Plant Butter.
- Oil: Any neutral baking oil works well. For this recipe, I used avocado oil. Olive oil, canola oil or vegetable oil all work well.
- Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar can replace the sugar. Maple sugar would also work well to make this cornmeal bread refined sugar free.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs. Make sure they are room temperature.
- Buttermilk: Feel free to replace this ingredient with the same amount of a DIY version of buttermilk. Combine 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon (20 ml) white vinegar or lemon juice with any milk to make 1 ¼ cup (300 ml). Mix well and allow the mixture to curdle for 10 - 15 minutes. Another option is to combine 1 cup (240 g) sour cream with ¼ cup (60 ml) water until well combined.
- Blueberries: You can fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen berries, do not let them thaw too long. Also note that the baking time will be a bit longer if using frozen berries.
Variations
- 9 inch (23 cm) square pan: Follow the recipe as written. Prepare a 9 inch (23 cm) square pan by lining the bottom and two sides with parchment paper. Bake the blueberry corn meal cake for about 30 - 35 minutes.
- Cornbread Mix with Blueberries: Prepare the cornbread according to the box directions of a premade cornbread mix like Jiffy. Then fold blueberries into the batter right before transferring the cornbread into a pan to bake. Follow the baking guidelines as written on the cornbread mix box.
How To Make
Learn how to make blueberry cornbread in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease and line the bottom of a 9- inch (23 cm) springform or cake pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together until well combined. Set aside for now.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the oil, melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk together until smooth and well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Toss 1 ½ cup of blueberries in 2 teaspoons of flour. Then gently stir the coated blueberries into the cornmeal batter. The remaining ½ cup blueberries will top the cornbread prior to baking.
- Evenly spread the blueberry cornmeal batter into the prepared pan. Top with the reserved blueberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar if you like. Bake the cornbread for 35 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The crust will be golden brown and the top should bounce back when gently pressed.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Gently release the side of the springform pan and allow the cornbread to cool completely to room temperature before topping with honey, butter or enjoy plain.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: An blueberry cornbread cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 - 5 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the burberry cornbread is completely cooled to room temperature. Wrap the entire bread or each slice in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag or other airtight, freezer proof container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the cornmeal blueberry bread is to let it sit out at room temperature until thawed.
M’s Expert Tips
- Look for fine or medium grind cornmeal. Classic cornbread can be made using white or yellow cornmeal. Feel free to use what you are able to find.
- Toast the cornmeal. For even more corn flavor, toast the cornmeal in a clean pan for 1 - 2 minutes over medium heat. Cool to room temperature before using in the recipe.
- Toss the blueberries into flour. Coating the blueberries in 2 - 3 teaspoons of flour prior to mixing them into the cornbread batter will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy, moist and cornmeal bread with blueberries.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Use the baking times as a guide. All ovens vary and baking times should be used as a guide. As a general rule, when the cake becomes very fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking the cornbread at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few moist crumbs or clean. The top should be golden brown and the top of the cake should quickly bounce back when lightly pressed.
FAQs
Fine or medium grind yellow or white cornmeal is the best type of cornmeal to use for this cake. Medium grind creates a bit more grittiness versus the fine grind, but both are delicious.
This cornbread with blueberries is like a cross between savory cornbread and a lightly sweetened and fluffy yellow cake filled with blueberries. There is a distinct cornbread flavor thanks to the cornmeal, but there are notes of tanginess from the buttermilk and bursts of juicy blueberries.
Yes, prepare the cornbread according to the box directions of a premade cornbread mix like Jiffy. Then fold blueberries into the batter right before transferring the cornbread into a pan to bake. Follow the baking guidelines as written on the cornbread mix box.
Yes, this recipe for blueberry cornbread uses a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan. Feel free to use a 9 x 9 square pan, a 9 inch cast iron pan or even use a muffin pan to make blueberry cornbread muffins.
Other Corn Recipes to Try
If you try this Blueberry Cornbread recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Blueberry Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup (150 g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (120 g) cornmeal
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) melted unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1¼ cup (300 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 cups blueberries, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease and line the bottom of a 9- inch (23 cm) springform or cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together until well combined. Set aside for now.1¼ cup (150 g) all purpose flour, 1 cup (120 g) cornmeal, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the oil, melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk together until smooth and well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.Toss 1 ½ cup of blueberries in 2 teaspoons of flour. Then gently stir the coated blueberries into the cornmeal batter. The remaining ½ cup blueberries will top the cornbread prior to baking.¼ cup (60 ml) oil , ¼ cup (60 ml) melted unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1¼ cup (300 ml) buttermilk, room temperature, 2 cups blueberries, divided
- Evenly spread the blueberry cornmeal batter into the prepared pan. Top with the reserved blueberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar if you like. Bake the cornbread for 35 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The crust will be golden brown.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Gently release the side of the springform pan and allow the cornbread to cool completely to room temperature before topping with honey, butter or enjoy plain.
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