Name: Cream Cheese-Filled Blueberry Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 115 min
Ingredients: 1.25 cupsself-rising flour; 1 cuplight brown sugar (packed); 3 large eggs; 3/4 cupunsalted butter (very soft); 2 tablespoonsmilk or cream; 1 teaspoonvanilla extract; 6 ouncescream cheese (very soft (brick-style)); 3 tablespoonsgranulated sugar; 1 to 1.50 cupsblueberries*; Confectioners' sugar (optional for dusting)

Jump to Recipe

This cake is a weeknight-friendly showstopper: a tender, lightly sweet crumb with pockets of cream cheese and bursts of juicy blueberry. I like it because it’s straightforward — you mix, dollop, scatter, and bake — and yet the result looks and tastes like something you’d bring to a potluck. No complicated layers or piping, just honest technique and good timing.

I wrote this recipe after several test bakes, dialing the timing so the cream cheese stays creamy and the blueberry flavor shines without over-saturating the crumb. The batter is forgiving; the key moments are prepping the pan well, using very soft butter and cream cheese, and checking for doneness without poking into visible cream cheese blobs.

Below you’ll find a clear ingredient breakdown, step-by-step directions exactly as I follow them, smart swaps if you need them, troubleshooting guidance, and storage tips so leftovers stay moist and bright. Read through once before you start, then bake with confidence.

Ingredient Breakdown

Ingredients

1.25 cups self-rising flour — provides structure and lift; no separate leavening needed if your product is well within date.
1 cup light brown sugar, packed — adds sweetness and a hint of molasses that keeps the crumb tender and flavorful.
3 large eggs — bind the batter and help with rise; room-temperature eggs mix more evenly.
¾ cup unsalted butter, very soft — richness and moisture; very soft (almost spreadable) butter incorporates quickly.
2 tablespoons milk or cream — adds a touch of extra moisture for a tender crumb.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract — rounds and lifts the flavor.
6 ounces cream cheese, very soft (brick-style) — creates the creamy, tangy filling; brick-style softens evenly and holds shape.
3 tablespoons granulated sugar — sweetens the cream cheese without making it soupy.
1 to 1.50 cups blueberries — fresh or frozen; they burst and make juicy pockets. Use closer to 1.5 cups for more berries.
Confectioners’ sugar, optional for dusting — purely for a pretty finish if you like.

Cream Cheese-Filled Blueberry Cake — Do This Next

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round springform pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, and spray the parchment. (A 9-inch round non-springform pan may be used instead; place it on a baking sheet to catch any overflow.)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1.25 cups self-rising flour and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until evenly combined.
Add 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup very soft unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons milk or cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or beat with a handheld mixer until the batter is smooth and uniform. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer with a spatula. Set the pan aside.
In a separate bowl, beat 6 ounces very soft cream cheese with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until smooth and lump-free. A wooden spoon works if the cream cheese is very soft; a handheld mixer will make it faster.
Using a spoon, evenly dollop the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the batter in several small blobs. They will spread and sink slightly as the cake bakes.
Scatter 1 to 1 1/2 cups blueberries evenly over the batter and cream cheese blobs.
Place the cake pan on a baking sheet and put it in the preheated oven. Bake for about 70 minutes, beginning to check for doneness at 50–55 minutes.
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the cake avoiding visible cream cheese or blueberry spots. The toothpick should come out clean or with only a few dry crumbs. If it has wet batter on it, continue baking and recheck every 5–10 minutes.
When done, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
If desired, dust the cooled cake with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Store leftover cake airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It can be kept at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days if you prefer.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

First, it’s easy to make but impressive to serve. The cream cheese pockets add a luscious, slightly tangy contrast to the buttery cake. Blueberries keep each bite lively; they soften and release juice, but the crumb stays tender instead of becoming soggy when you follow the bake and test steps.

Second, the batter is forgiving. Because it relies on self-rising flour, you avoid mixing in separate leaveners, which simplifies the process. The cream cheese isn’t mixed into the batter; it’s dolloped on top, so you get surprising pockets of creamy texture without extra technique.

Finally, this cake scales well. Use it as a breakfast treat, an after-dinner dessert, or a bring-along to gatherings. It keeps well in the fridge, and the flavor often improves a day after baking as the components settle.

Smart Substitutions

Self-rising flour — If you don’t have it, you can make a quick substitute by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt to every cup of all-purpose flour; measure carefully.
Light brown sugar — Dark brown sugar will work fine if you prefer deeper molasses notes; white granulated sugar will make the flavor cleaner but slightly less caramel-y.
Unsalted butter — If using salted butter, reduce any added salt elsewhere (there is none in this recipe), or just accept the slightly saltier finish.
Milk or cream — Any dairy milk works; for a touch of richness use cream. Non-dairy milks (like almond or oat) will work but may slightly change the crumb texture.
Cream cheese — For a lighter tang, blend in a tablespoon of sour cream to the cream cheese mixture; for a richer bite, use warmed (but not melted) full-fat brick-style cream cheese.
Blueberries — Fresh gives the best texture; frozen can be used straight from the bag but toss frozen berries lightly in a tablespoon of flour to limit dyeing the batter.

Gear Checklist

8-inch round springform pan (preferred) or 9-inch round non-springform pan and a baking sheet to catch spills.
Mixing bowls (one large for batter, one for cream cheese).
Wooden spoon or handheld mixer (both are fine — mixer is faster).
Spatula for spreading the batter evenly.
Wire rack for cooling.
Toothpick or skewer to test doneness.

Troubleshooting Tips

Texture & Doneness

If the cake seems underbaked at the center while the edges are browning, tent it loosely with foil and continue baking. The recipe calls to begin checking at 50–55 minutes, but ovens vary. Avoid testing through visible cream cheese or blueberry spots — those will glaze the skewer and give false wet results.

Runny Cream Cheese Pockets

If cream cheese blobs spread too thinly, it usually means the cream cheese was too soft or warm. Use cream cheese that’s very soft but still holds some body — about spreadable, not melted. Chill it slightly if your kitchen is warm before dolloping.

Blueberries Sinking or Bleeding

Fresh berries will sink a bit, which is fine and part of the cake’s character. If frozen berries release too much color, toss them in a tablespoon of flour to help them cling and reduce bleeding into the batter.

Dietary Swaps & Alternatives

Here are practical swaps for common dietary needs. Note that texture and flavor can change slightly with each swap, so adjust expectations rather than exact measures.

Lower-fat option: Use reduced-fat cream cheese and lower-fat milk. The cake will be slightly less rich but still pleasing.
Dairy-free: Substitute plant-based butter and a dairy-free cream cheese. Choose brands known for baking stability. Expect a small change in flavor and a slightly different crumb.
Egg-free: This recipe relies on eggs for structure. If you need to avoid eggs, consider a tested egg-replacement cake recipe instead; direct swaps like aquafaba may work but need testing for rise and texture.
Gluten-free: Use a one-to-one gluten-free flour blend formulated to replace self-rising flour and add equivalent leavening (check the blend’s instructions). Results vary by blend.

Notes from the Test Kitchen

I baked this in both an 8-inch springform and a 9-inch non-springform pan during testing. The 8-inch held a slightly taller profile and needed the full ~70 minutes for a clean skewer in the center. The 9-inch finished a bit sooner. I always place the pan on a baking sheet regardless; it catches any overflow from juicy blueberries and makes oven cleanup easier.

When mixing the batter, stop as soon as it’s uniform. Overmixing develops gluten and will tighten the crumb. For the cream cheese, I tested both hand-mashed and handheld-mixer methods. The mixer yields the smoothest blobs fastest, but a spoon works fine if the cheese is soft.

Dusting with confectioners’ sugar is optional. I usually add it when serving to guests for a pretty finish, but the cake is equally lovely without — especially if you prefer a less-sweet top.

Storage Pro Tips

Cool the cake completely before storing. For short-term keeping, cover the cake loosely at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap the cooled cake tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. If you need to freeze slices, wrap each slice in parchment and plastic, then freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

When reheating a slice, bring it to room temperature or warm it gently in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. The cream cheese pockets stay enjoyable when slightly chilled or at room temp — it’s a matter of personal preference.

Reader Questions

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes. Use frozen straight from the bag; there’s no need to thaw. Toss frozen berries lightly in a tablespoon of flour to reduce bleeding into the batter and help them distribute more evenly.

My cake looked done but the center was dense. Why?

Possible causes: underbaking (test in a spot that avoids visible cream cheese or berries), overmixing (develops gluten), or too-cold eggs/butter. Make sure ingredients are at room temperature and stop mixing when the batter is smooth.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes. Use two pans rather than one larger pan to keep the bake time reasonable, and check for doneness earlier than the full time. If you combine into one much larger pan, bake time will change significantly; monitor by toothpick.

See You at the Table

Make this cake any time you want something that feels special without fuss. It’s a reliable recipe for brunches, a casual dessert after dinner, or a sweet neighbor gift. The interplay of soft cake, creamy pockets, and juicy blueberries is the kind of thing people ask for seconds of. Make a test run, note your oven’s timing, and then you’ll have a go-to that’s as comforting as it is pretty.

If you try it, let me know how it turns out and whether you made any swaps. I love hearing what worked — and what you’d tweak next time.

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Cream Cheese-Filled Blueberry Cake

A tender, lightly sweet cake dotted with cream cheese dollops and fresh blueberries; baked in a springform or standard round pan and dusted with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 55

Course: Dessert

Servings: 8 servings