Blueberry Almond Tea Cake
If last summer was all about the fresh tomatoes, this summer has been all about berries. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries – all of ’em. Today’s blueberry almond tea cake is my latest creation and it’s a good one!
If you can’t tell, I’m basically throwing berries into everything. I’ve even gone as far as buying them in bulk (just the other day, I hauled over five pounds of fresh blueberries home from the market) to freeze them for the months ahead. There are only a few short months to stock up on the best ones, and I’m not letting the opportunity pass me by.
In doing so, I’ve also discovered that freshly frozen blueberries make the best snack, particularly when paired with a heavy dose of Olympic watching. A slice of tea cake doesn’t hurt either. The more you know…
As much as this blueberry almond tea cake is for berry lovers, it is a true almond lover’s dream. The almond flavor comes through strongly with each bite, and is the true champion of this simple one layer cake.
There is no skimping of almonds in this cake! Almond meal, sliced almonds, pure almond extract – this cake has got all of it in there. The almond meal makes for a moist, tender crumb, the sliced almonds add texture, and the almond extract helps pull everything together.
The blueberries are the supporting act, if you will. You could certainly substitute the fresh blueberries with frozen blueberries during the winter months. Frozen raspberries would be another great option!
Perhaps the best part about this blueberry almond tea cake is just how simple it is to prepare and bake. Tea cakes are one of my favorite baked goods, because they are all about simplicity.
One layer, easy preparation, and simple garnishes. On that note, you will need a standard 8-inch cake pan (2-inches deep to be safe) to make this cake. I’ve acquired several good-quality cake pans over the years, and they are worth the investment!
The batter for this cake comes together very quickly and easily. The batter is thicker than most standard cake batters – think crumb cake batter consistency – so you will need to reserve about an hour for baking. If you’re dusting the cake with confectioner’s sugar, be sure to allow it to cool completely. Otherwise, this cake tastes fabulous slightly warm from the oven!
Oh, oh, oh! And this cake is made with 100% whole grain flour. You’ll be using equal proportions of almond meal (I use my favorite Bob’s Red Mill brand and swear by it!) and whole wheat pastry flour.
I can’t exactly call this cake health food since it calls for a stick and a half of butter, but this certainly makes me feel a little bit better about that second slice.
And yes, you’ll most definitely be going back for that second slice.
Accompanying cup of tea optional, but recommended.
Blueberry Almond Tea Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (100g) whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75g) almond meal/flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (50g) sliced almonds
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¾ cup (6 oz; 170g) unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, lightly whisked room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) whole or low-fat milk
- 1½ cups (8 oz) fresh blueberries
- powdered sugar (optional) for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) with a rack in the center position. Generously grease an 8-inch cake pan (at least 2-inches deep) with baking spray or butter and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper (here's an easy tutorial!), grease again, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt. Reserve and set aside roughly one tablespoon of sliced almonds. Break the remaining almonds with your hands and stir them into the flour mixture.
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Using your fingertips, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar until fragrant and moist. Add the softened butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar mixture over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl halfway through to ensure all of the ingredients are incorporated evenly. Reduce the speed to medium and slowly add the eggs. Beat until incorporated (it may look slightly broken). Over low speed, slowly add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk. The batter will be relatively thick.
- Reserve a small handful (8 to 10 blueberries) of blueberries for later. Using a large spatula, gently fold the remaining blueberries into the cake batter. Transfer the batter into the greased cake pan, and smooth the top with a small offset spatula. Distribute the remaining blueberries on top, gently pressing them into the batter. Top with the remaining sliced almonds.
- Bake for 55 minutes to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Using a knife, run along the sides of the cake pan to release the sides of the cake and carefully invert onto a wire rack. Flip and allow the cake to cool right-side up.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, dusted lightly with confectioner’s sugar as desired.
63 Comments on “Blueberry Almond Tea Cake”
I followed this recipe exactly and it turned out delicious! This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. It was light and not sweet. It is perfect for breakfast. Thank you so much for sharing.
So glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review!
Delicious! I baked it as per the directions – wouldn’t change a thing
A MA ZING. That’s all there is to be said !
This cake looks and sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing. I plan on making this lovely cake this weekend and would love for you to clarify what is the correct metric amount for the almond flour used in the recipe, 75 or 100grams?
Hi! Thanks for bringing this to my attention – I was traveling at the time this was pointed out to me and hadn’t had a chance to update the recipe yet. It has been updated right now and the correct gram measurement is listed. Hope you love it!
Thank you so much, Laura, for responding so quickly. Do you think I can substitute “whole wheat pastry flour” with plain “whole wheat flour” or maybe a mix of whole wheat flour and some starch? I’ve never used pastry flour before and not sure if it is similar to cake flour. What do you suggest would be the best substitution for this cake without compromising the proper structure for this cake? Thank you so much! 🙂
I don’t love giving recommendations for things that I haven’t tested. Whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour are very different – one is just not as well suited for tender cakes. It is roughly (not exactly) similar to cake flour in that it is lower in protein content, but contains the whole grain. Greater nutritional value with more flavor. If you have all purpose, you could do an equal combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour and that should work here. Thanks!
Thank you so much for clarifying whole wheat pastry flour. I took your recommendation and replaced it with half whole wheat flour and all purpose flour and the cake texture was wonderful, sturdy yet tender, and oh so deliciously nutty. I wish I could post a picture, it looked like it came out of a European pastry shop! I did cut down on the sugar to 100grams and it was perfectly sweet and did not appear to compromise on the structure or texture of the cake. Everyone loved this cake, young and old!! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful cake recipe and helping me get it right my first time around! 🙂 You have a new subscriber!
I like using the weight measurements, but 3/4 cup for almond flour – 100 grams????? 100 grams was closer to a full cup. Looking up weight online says 3/4 c almond flour is 72 grams. But that leaves me with the question – should the recipe use 3/4 cup OR 100 grams. I went with the 3/4 cup and the cake did come out well. I have made many of your recipes, but found this very disconcerting!
Hi Margaret, you are correct. I just realized there has been a conversion error here (when I originally published the recipe, I did not share metrics and this was added later).
3/4 cup should be about 75 grams. I will update the recipe. The good news is that a touch more almond flour (based on my error) would not impact this cake structurally or otherwise, but I appreciate you pointing this out and bringing it to my attention! It is something that I take seriously. Appreciate your continued support!
Thank you! The cake did come out great – I did use the 3/4 cup measurement. I just wanted to be sure I wasn’t getting measurements wrong! I do love your recipes and instructions!
This came together easily and is super delicious. The only thing I did differently was reduce the sugar to 1/2 c (next time I might even reduce it a bit more, I prefer less sweet). Thank you for the recipe!
I almost never make cakes…but wanted to use up some fresh blueberries and love anything with almond flour. Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have as much almonds as called for. Had to use almond milk and light cream mix, monk fruit instead of sugar and an 8 inch springform pan. But it came out perfect! Looks just like the pictures and so delicious! Saving recipe to make again. Thank you!
So delicious! It was a hit! EVERYONE Loved it!
Great cake; will save this recipe to make again.. Delicious taste, crumby texture, rich in almond flavour, without the dryness that comes with an all-almond cake.
I had no fresh berries, so used thawed and drained frozen ones. Also had no milk and used lemon juice instead, which I think helped balance the sweetness. Will make with less sugar next time and hope it doesn’t affect the texture.
Hi Laura,
Just wondering you’ve mentioned flour, butter & sugar as 3/4 cups however the measurements in grams varies in all. Could you please confirm if they’re all slightly different? Cant wait to try thanks
You are confusing American volume measurements (like cups) and weight measurements. All of those ingredients vary tremendously in density, which is why the weights vary. You need a basic kitchen scale if you plan on using grams, which is always recommended because it is more accurate. Hope this helps!
Hi,
Is there a sugar substitute I can use? Maybe maple syrup or agave or honey?
I haven’t tested that substitute and don’t really recommend it because I don’t want it to not turn out well for you (and those two types of sugars aren’t directly interchangeable in baked goods) – however, generally, you should use about 3/4 cup maple syrup for every 1 cup granulated sugar.
I replaced sugar with stevia. Inusedc2 TSP stevia and it came out very well.
Maybe it will be helpful for someone.
Thanks for sharing!
Hey, thank you for such healthy recipe. Really loved it.
Please help how can I replace egg. As my daughter doesn’t like eggs.
Sorry, I have never tested any sort of egg substitution for this cake and baked goods are really sensitive to those types of changes. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help!
This recipe looks wonderful and I’m going to try it today. I like to bake with healthier ingredients and your thoughts on using avacado or canola oil instead of butter?
Hi! I tried this recipe last night – and it is delicious – albeit the blueberries generally migrated to the bottom which made for uneven baking and stuck to the bottom as it was too moist.
any suggestions? also – in general, is it ok to line the bottom with a parchment disk to guarantee it releases?
thank you!
Hi David! Yes, you can definitely line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper. I’m sorry the blueberries sunk! I haven’t experienced that issue with this cake at all because the batter is very thick and holds them up really nicely. My only thought is that maybe you were using extra large blueberries and they were heavier? I have a recipe video in this recipe post which you can watch if you need any additional clarification when making.
This cake was fabulous… made it for my book club and 5 people ate two thirds.. that’s how fabulous it was!
Thanks for sharing.