Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Skillet (Printable)

Tangy, moist cake with blueberries, lemon zest, sourdough, and a sweet lemon icing drizzle.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter, unfed or discard
06 - 1/4 cup whole milk
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, plus extra for garnish

→ Icing Drizzle

14 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch oven-safe skillet with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Mix in vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir in sourdough starter until well combined.
05 - Add half of the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour in milk, then add remaining flour mixture, stirring gently but thoroughly.
06 - Use a spatula to gently fold in blueberries, being careful not to overmix or crush the berries.
07 - Pour batter into prepared skillet, spreading evenly. Sprinkle additional blueberries on surface if desired.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool in skillet for 15 minutes before proceeding with icing.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice to form a thick but pourable icing consistency.
11 - Drizzle icing over cooled cake. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Your sourdough starter finally has a purpose beyond guilt-free discard, and the cake tastes like you've been planning this for weeks.
  • It's moist, tender, and lemony without feeling heavy—the kind of cake that disappears faster than you expected.
  • Baked in a skillet means it looks rustic and impressive, and cleanup is honestly a breeze.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter after adding flour will develop gluten and make your cake tough and dense, so fold gently once the dry ingredients are mostly combined.
  • Your sourdough starter doesn't need to be freshly fed—in fact, discard (unfed, bubbly starter) works perfectly here and adds wonderful complexity without making the cake sour.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together smoothly and incorporate air better, so pull your eggs and milk out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking.
  • The icing drizzle should be thin enough to flow slowly off a spoon but thick enough not to run straight off the cake—that perfect middle ground takes about 30 seconds of whisking.
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