Easy Blueberry Bars are a moist delicious dessert. These cake bars are made with either fresh or frozen blueberries. A fast and easy recipe makes them perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert.
What could be more delicious than a blueberry filling? Especially one that you can use fresh or frozen berries. Blueberry desserts or snacks can be some of the most delicious from a Blueberry streusel loaf to an Italian Blueberry Crostata to a tasty Vanilla Glazed Blueberry Cake!
And who doesn’t love some blueberries in a breakfast treat, one of our favourite recipes are these Lemon Blueberry Scones or these Lemon Glazed Blueberry Baked Donuts.
I like to think of these more as a Cake than a Bar. This is a recipe my friend back home would always make. I am not much of a berry eater but put it in a cake or pie and I love it. And this Delicious Blueberry Bars are no different.
Ingredients to make Blueberry Bars
- Butter – softened butter
- Sugar – granulated sugar
- Vanilla – vanilla extract
- Egg – large room temperature egg
- Flour – cake/pastry flour
- Baking powder
- Salt – if you use unsalted butter then add a bit more salt
- Milk – either whole or 2% milk room temperature
- Blueberries – fresh or frozen blueberries
- Lemon – lemon juice and lemon zest
Made fast and easy with your mixer, a soft moist cake made with cake flour. And no need to buy it just make your own!
How to Make Cake Flour
For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.
Why use room temperature ingredients?
When at room temperature, eggs, butter, and other dairy ingredients form an emulsion which traps air. While baking in the oven, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy baked good. So be sure to remove the ingredients from the fridge 45-60 minutes before baking.
How to make Blueberry Bars
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt set aside.
In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until creamy then add the vanilla and egg, beat until fluffy.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk. Combine until smooth.
In a small bowl gently mix together the blueberries, sugar and zest.
Spread half the cake batter into the prepared cake pan, top with the blueberry filling.
Top with the remaining batter and bake until baked through. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
Let cool before cutting into squares. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar and or serve with a scoop of ice cream.
How to Store Blueberry Bars
Store the blueberry cake well covered at room temperature. It will keep for about 2-3 days. If you want you can refrigerate the cake, but be sure to wrap it well with foil or plastic wrap so that the bars do not dry out. It will last about one week in the fridge.
How to freeze them
You can also freeze the bars or leave the cake whole, just be sure to let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and either place it in an airtight freezer bag or container. The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
What you need to do when baking with frozen fruit
- Keep your berries frozen when making the filling, if you add thawed berries there will be too much liquid and they will make the cake runny. (you don’t want that)
- You will have to cook your cake a little longer than when you use fresh berries, about 5-10 minutes should do it.
- To keep your frozen berries from sinking to the bottom, coat them in a little flour first.
- When stirring your berries, be gentle. I like to use a spatula.
Can I add Lemon to the recipe?
I love the flavour of blueberry and lemon, in this Cake Bar recipe I added the zest of half a lemon, I’m sure a whole lemon would have been ok too.
And as you can see a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream doesn’t hurt either! But believe me a light dusting of powdered sugar is really all they need. Enjoy!
Easy Blueberry Bars
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE BATTER
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅓ cup butter (softened)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup milk (either whole or 2% milk) room temperature
FOR THE FILLING
- 1½ cups frozen or fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- zest of half or whole lemon
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C, grease and flour a 9 inch (22cm) square pan.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, 2-3 minutes then add the vanilla and egg, beat until fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk. Beat until smooth, about one minute.
- In a small bowl gently mix together the blueberries, sugar and zest.
- Spread half the cake batter onto the prepared cake pan, top with the blueberry filling and then top with remaining batter. Bake for approximately 45-55 minutes or until done. Check with a toothpick for doneness, if dry or a few crumbs attached it's done. Let cool before cutting into squares. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar and or serve with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from June 6, 2019.
Barbara says
These were so good my whole family loved them.
Rosemary says
Hi Barbara, so glad you enjoyed them.