A Cake for all the Berries
“Maybe she had stayed in Watsonville. There was Pajaro, and that was the railroad section, and then the Pajaro River and the bridge into Watsonville.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
This recipe was the Pillsbury Bake-Off winner in 1990. Twenty-six years later it’s still fantastic. The Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake is easy to make and a joy to share. This is a coffee cake than transcends brunch and moves right into dessert territory. An exuberant lemon poppy seed cake gone rogue by making room for a gigantic pile of blueberries. So many blueberries, some barely burst open, other melt into jam and then just before serving more fresh berries are piled on top! And yes the cake is good too. I thought the cake edges might have gotten over-baked, but the slightly crisp edges are reminiscent of a buttery lemon poppy seed scone. The cake is soft and tender, yet sturdy enough to cradle all the berries.
We went to a local u-pick just outside of Watsonville, at High Ground Organics and came home with enough blueberries to keep me busy for days. Three batches of jam and one Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake later I still want more of those sweet, juicy berries. This year the bushes were flush with berries and the picking was easy. If you are local and enjoy blueberries, more u-picks are scheduled. These berries are sweet and flavorful, very different from the often bland and soft store bought blueberries. If only their season was longer.
Essentials
The cake comes together quickly. Using a springform pan helps keep the cake together while baking and cooling. The tall, straight sides of the pan are key to making a container with the cake batter that holds all the berries. Every slice of cake brings an avalanche of berries. Scoop them up and enjoy every bite of the Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake.
Harkins Slough on a foggy day, view from High Ground Organics, Watsonville CA
Netted, blueberry field, High Ground Organics, Watsonville, CA
Blueberry U-Pick, High Ground Organics, Watsonville, CA
Blueberries, High Ground Organics, Watsonville, CA
The blueberry harvest, High Ground Organics, Watsonville, CA
Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake
Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake
Gorgeous, gorgeous cake, Deb, and I can only imagine how delicious it must have been made with the just-picked berries. Marvelous!
Thank you Vivianne! Summer fruit is the best!
Oh, this CAKE, Deb! Truly a stunner, and so perfect for right now. Blueberries are in season here also, and I need to get out there and pick myself as many as my fingers can manage. Just beautiful, really.
Thank you for the scrumptious comment Shannon! The cake is a wonderful way to enjoy the season of blueberries.
Wow, I love the look of those blueberries in the slice of cake. And, I’m very jealous of your pantry with the blueberry jam. I need to get my hands on some blueberries right away!
thank you for the delicious comment Lisa! Blueberry jam is my Mr’s favorite.
What fun to make a recipe from the 1990’s! My mother use to collect the Pillsbury cookoff books and made some great recipes. She never made this one. Shame!! It looks absolutely delicious! Beautiful pictures of the blueberry fields.
Thank you for the delicious comment MJ! I will be on the look-out for those Bake-Off cookbooks!
What a fantastic cake, you had me at “avalanche of berries.” Simply divine!
Thank you Laura! This is a blueberry lovers dream cake!
I like how you worded “transcends brunch and moves right into dessert” – nice choice of words! 😉 How fun to find a place to pick your own blueberries, I’d love to do that. What a beautiful, tasty cake with the best of the season’s blueberries. Hope you’re enjoying the last days of spring!!
Thank you for the scrumptious comment Cristina! It feels like summer already!
This looks so delicious Deb – what lovely photos! (Much nicer than on the recipe site!) I will have to try this as soon as we get local blueberries here, as I can easily veganise the recipe by using an egg replacer and soya yoghurt. Thanks for sharing!
Your wonderful comment brightened my day, thank you Cathy!
As always Deb, a beautiful post and what a delicious looking cake. I wish I could have been there with you picking berries. Maybe next year!
Thank you Gerlinde! I appreciate your gracious comment!
WOW WOW WOW! Blueberries and lemon are the perfect combo. I’m on holiday right now, but when I return home, this is at the top of my baking list. Just a beautiful post, Deb!
Have a great holiday Carol! Thank you for the wonderful comment! The cake is a keeper, easy to make and a pleasure to share.
Love blueberries. And poppy seeds. Don’t often combine the two for some reason. This looks like an outstanding recipe. And it’s a certified winner! No wonder it’s good. 🙂
Thank you John! We all enjoyed this cake, there were no leftovers!
Deb, this cake is just beautiful, and your photos make it even more enticing. Dating back to 1990, this cake is obviously a keeper.
Thank you Mary! The cake is scrumptious! I love the amount of berries, you can have a little cake and a lot of berries.
Your description of the berries in the cake are fantastic and making me hungry for a slice. This year I am growing blueberries for the first time. Although the bushes are still quite small I am hopefully of at least a cake out of them by the time the berries ripen! Deb, I am pinning your recipe in anticipation. 🙂
Thank you Kellie! Homegrown blueberries sound wonderful!
It is both beautiful and mouthwatering…
A true summer treat!!!
Thank you for the gracious comment Denise, much appreciated!