Upside-Down Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Bake the not-too-sweet batter in a cast-iron pan with a layer of juicy blueberries for the perfect breakfast treat.

A plated wedge of upside down blueberry muffin cut from a whole cake, with a fork pierced into a piece,

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Blending butter and flour minimizes gluten development, for an ultra-tender muffin-like cake.
  • A small portion of fragrant, lemony coriander makes the blueberry flavor seem more intense.
  • Lemon juice and salt balance the sweetness of the saucy blueberry layer.

One of the greatest battles in baking is to keep blueberries from sinking to the bottom of a muffin. Truth be told, there's not a lot that can be done—blueberries won't suddenly defy gravity when tossed in flour. I sidestep the problem by putting a scoop of plain batter in the bottom of each muffin cup before stirring in the blueberries, keeping the fruit well off the bottom with a physical barrier.

But why all this effort? Why all these preventative measures? What happens if we listen to what the blueberries have been trying to tell us all along and give them some prime real estate on the bottom of the pan? The answer: something amazing.

Closeup of a freshly baked upside-down blueberry muffin, ready to serve.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

A Muffin in Disguise

It’s only when we surrender to the will of the blueberry that its true purpose can be revealed: to be used in a giant upside-down muffin that’s cut into slices and served like a cake.

A plated slice of upside-down blueberry muffin. A bite-sized portion of the muffin is suspended over the plate on a fork.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Of course, it's objectively not cake. It may look like one, but structurally speaking it has the same relatively low proportions of milk, sugar, and fat that define a traditional muffin. In fact, it's almost identical to my recipe for classic blueberry muffins, just reformatted for a cast iron skillet.

That means it's just as suitable for breakfast, and won't leave you buzzing with a sugar high. It has the same hint of coriander to amplify the blueberry flavor, the same pinch of nutmeg that makes butter seem more buttery, and the same butter-in-flour technique that minimizes gluten development to keep it tender and light. The only difference is an extra splash of milk to loosen the batter so it doesn't crown too high in the oven, a big squeeze of lemon over the blueberries to make the fruit layer more juicy and bright, and a pinch of zest in the batter since I've already got a lemon on hand.

Making the Batter

The whole thing can be made in a stand mixer as per the original recipe, a method that combines all the dry ingredients together with butter up-front (essentially, the same technique we accomplish by hand when making biscuits or scones). But if you've got a food processor, the, uh, process is even faster: Toss all the dry ingredients in a food processor, along with the butter and lemon zest, pulse until the butter disappears, then stir in the milk and eggs by hand (it's a little too easy to overmix the batter in the food processor). If you like, the bowl of buttery dry-mix can be left at cool room temperature overnight, for lightning fast muffin assembly in the morning.

Next, give the blueberries what they've always wanted: unobstructed access to the bottom of a pan—in this case, a 10-inch cast iron skillet, which happens to be the perfect size to accommodate an entire batch of muffin batter.

A four-image collage of blueberries being added to the prepared skillet, tossed with sugar and salt, and doused with lemon juice.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

I'm all about using fresh blueberries for the fruit layer (I love how they retain their shape), but frozen blueberries are a-okay as well; since they've already lost their structure through the freeze/thaw process, their mushiness will make for a much jammier layer, but no adjustments aside from thawing need to be made. Either way, sprinkle with sugar, douse with lemon juice, and finish with a pinch of salt.

If you look closely, you'll see I've lined the cast iron skillet with parchment. It's a super low-effort way to ensure a clean release for the saucy, fruity layer when it's flipped, and a bit of added insurance for folks who don't have a well-seasoned skillet. Plus, it minimizes the fruity residue left in the pan, making it easier to clean up down the road.

On that note, let's take a moment to remember that a well-seasoned cast iron skillet isn't "seasoned" in the traditional sense. In the realm of cast iron, seasoning isn't flavor, it's a multi-layered barrier of polymerized oil that effectively makes cast iron non-stick. A cast iron skillet should never, ever impart any flavors or funky odors to baked goods; if it does, that means the skillet is dirty, so brush up on Daniel's guide to cleaning cast iron before getting started.

Those precautions out of the way, assembly is easy: blueberries on the bottom, batter on the top. The batter will look a little grainy from flecks of butter hardened by cold milk and eggs, but as with flakes of butter in a biscuit, those bits will melt in the oven.

Baking the "Muffin"

Bake until the giant muffin is puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch—about 45 minutes at 350°F (180°C). The exact time will vary dramatically depending on the cast iron's specific gauge, so (as with any recipe) the visual and textural cues will always take precedence over an estimated timeline. Forty-five minutes is a safe place to start, but if it's not done by then, keep checking it in five-minute increments. An overbaked cake will be just as dry as an overbaked muffin.

Overhead view of the finished muffin in the skillet, fresh from the oven.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Run a butter knife around the edge of the muffin-cake, invert a large plate over the top, and flip. Wait about 30 seconds, then carefully remove the skillet. This will release a huge cloud of steam, so take care to keep your arm out of the way, or else be sure it's protected by clothing or a long oven mitt.

Profile view of the unmolded upside-down muffin. Steam rises from the warm, jammy berries.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

And with that, breakfast is served! With this recipe, there's no waiting around, so pour a cup of coffee, slice it up, and dig in.

Blueberry muffin cake on a plate.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Despite its cake-like appearance, this breakfast is undeniably a muffin at heart. It's tender, light, and none too sweet or rich, so it doesn't weigh you down as a start to the day.

Overhead view of a sliced and plated wedge of upside-down blueberry muffin.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

April 2018

Recipe Details

Upside-Down Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 45 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 50 mins
Serves 12 servings
Makes 1 cake

Ingredients

For the Batter:

  • 12 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal (2 1/3 cups, spooned; 340g)

  • 5 1/4 ounces plain or toasted sugar (3/4 cup; 145g)

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 1 small lemon

  • 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

  • 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 6 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks; 170g), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 5 ounces milk, any percentage will do (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons; 140g)

  • 2 large eggs, straight from the fridge (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g)

  • 2 teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract

For the Topping:

  • 16 ounces fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried (2 2/3 cups; 455g), see note for using frozen fruit

  • 1 3/4 ounces sugar (1/4 cup; 50g)

  • 1 1/2 ounces lemon juice, from 1 small lemon (about 3 tablespoons; about 45g)

  • Salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line a 10-inch cast iron skillet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, salt, baking soda, coriander, nutmeg, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at low speed to form a mealy powder, about 2 minutes. If you like, this "mix" can be held overnight at cool room temperature in an airtight container. To proceed, transfer to a large bowl and stir in the milk, eggs, and vanilla (if using).

    A four-image collage of adding and mixing the butter and dry ingredients for the upside-down blueberry muffin in a food processor, followed by adding and mixing in the egg, milk, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  2. Transfer blueberries to the parchment-lined skillet and shake gently to distribute in an even layer. Sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Dollop batter over the surface as evenly as possible, then smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until muffin is puffed and golden brown, about 45 minutes. The exact bake time will vary depending on the skillet's gauge, so keep a close eye on it to prevent overbaking.

    Side by side images of batter being dolloped on top of and then smoothed over the blueberries.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  3. To serve, run a dull knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the muffin, invert a large plate or platter over the top, and flip. Wait about 30 seconds, then remove the cast iron skillet, taking care to avoid the cloud of steam it will release. Cut generous wedges and serve immediately, as leftovers will stale rapidly overnight.

    A four-image collage of covering the muffin with a plate, and then flipping and unmolding, steam releasing from the skillet.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Special Equipment

Food processor, flexible spatula, 10-inch cast iron skillet

Notes

For frozen blueberries, measure while frozen if using cups, as thawed fruit will wilt and compress. Thaw to at least 40°F (5°C) before use, or the frozen fruit will chill the bottommost layer of muffin batter and cause it to bake at a different rate.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
313 Calories
13g Fat
45g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 313
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 269mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 76mg 6%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 99mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)