Melt in Your Mouth Blueberry Cake

What makes this blueberry cake melt on your tongue is the folded meringue. Stiff-beaten egg whites get folded into the batter at the very end, lightening the crumb into something closer to chiffon than a traditional pound cake. Most blueberry cake recipes skip this step, which is why theirs end up dense.

The sugar sprinkle on top is doing real work, not just decoration. It bakes into a thin crackly crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft cake underneath and the bursting fruit pockets. Place the pan in the upper third of the oven so the top gets that golden sugar crust before the bottom overcooks.

Toss the blueberries in a spoonful of the measured flour before folding them in. This trick keeps them suspended through the batter instead of sinking into a purple line at the bottom of the pan.

Pro Tips

• Beat the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl, any speck of yolk or grease and they will not whip to stiff peaks
• Fold the whites in gently with a rubber spatula in a J motion, do not stir or you deflate everything
• Use fresh blueberries if you can, frozen ones bleed purple streaks through the white batter
• The cake is done when the top springs back at a light press and a skewer comes out clean
• Let cool in the pan at least 20 minutes before cutting, the crumb sets as it rests

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter for a bright bakery-style finish
• Swap blueberries for raspberries or a mixed berry blend, just keep total volume the same
• Glaze cooled cake with a thin lemon icing instead of the sugar top for a different finish