Easy Blueberry Almond Cake (Czech Bublanina Recipe)

Bursting with natural flavors this blueberry almond coffee cake will brighten up your day! A simple blueberry sponge cake is topped with caramelized honey almonds. This Bohemian fruit cake (known as Bublanina) will be a winner on any coffee table.

This recipe was adapted from Anne Shooter's Sesame and Spice cookbook. (It was sent to me by her publisher to review). Since first making this in 2011, I have been adapting it to my taste. The last alteration was to add the almond honey crust that is so popular in my German Bienenstich recipe.

What is a Bublanina Cake? 

This Blueberry Almond cake recipe is based on a Bublaniana cake. Bublanina is a fruit cake that originates in the Czech Republic, more precisely from the area of Bohemia. It is based on a simple sponge cake, filled with fresh fruit. The name Bublanina is derived from the Czech word for Bubbles. Translate it means bubble cake. I believe it’s a reference to the sunken fruit in the cake. 

 

Do blueberries and almonds go together?

Blueberries have a slightly tangy, sour yet sweet flavor. Their moistness adds freshness to the cake. They go well with almond toppings that are caramelized with honey and have a sweet, earthy flavor. Together they have the perfect contrast between sweet and tartness, crunchy and spongyness.

How to make Blueberry Almond Cake 

This cake recipe is pretty simple. Do not get intimated by the caramelized almond crust, because that is the easiest part.

Blueberry Almond Cake Ingredients

Find exact measurements in the printable recipe card.

For the blueberry sponge cake

• unsalted butter – at room temperature 
• sugar
• flour - Germany type 405, UK plain flour, US pastry flour
• eggs (separated and at room temperature)
• milk
• flavorings: lemon zest, vanilla extract (affiliate link), almond extract (affiliate link), salt
• blueberries (fresh are preferable to frozen but both work) 
• For the almond crust: butter, honey, and sugar.

Recipe Instructions 

For the Blueberry sponge cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C or 338°F. Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) cake form with some butter 
2. Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the sugar and butter until you achieve a thick, creamy consistency.
3. Add the egg yolks to the butter mixture one by one. Now add the milk, vanilla extract (affiliate link), almond essence, and lemon zest. 
4. In a separate bowl, add the egg whites with a pinch of salt and whisk at a high speed until you see stiff peaks. 
5. Now fold this gently into the yolk mixture. Sift the flour and salt into a separate bowl. Carefully fold in with the mixture. 
6. Add the blueberries. Try not to mix too vigorously as you do not want the blueberries to be squashed or burst. 
7. Pour or spread the cake into the prepared tin. 
8. Bake the cake for 30 minutes.

For the Crunchy Almond Topping

13. In the meantime prepare the crunchy almond topping. Place butter, honey, and sugar into a saucepan and briefly bring to a boil. Now add in the sliced almonds and mix well.
14. After the cake has been baking in the oven for 30 minutes remove it from the oven. Cover the top with the almond honey mixture by spreading it with two spoons. (Careful the mixture is very hot)! Work quickly, as you want to place the cake back into the oven to finish baking.
15. After a further 15-20 minutes test if the cake is done by pricking a skewer in the middle. If it comes out clean it is done. The almonds on the top should have caramelized while baking.
16. Once the cake comes out of the oven, run a thin knife along the edges to help release the cake. Leave the cake to cool down completely.

How to serve this Czech Blueberry cake

You can serve this cake warm or at room temperature. It will go great with a cup of coffee or tea. If you like, why not serve this moist blueberry cake with a spoon of freshly whipped cream?  

Another option is to serve this blueberry cake warm as a dessert and offer a nice cool scoop of vanilla ice cream with it. 

More Summer Fruit Desserts

More Baking Recipes that you might like...

• Spiced Persimmon Muffins
• Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake
• German Strawberry Cake
• German Poppy Seed Cake
• Bibinka Filipino Coconut Rice Cake

This post was first published in September 2015, updated in January 2021 and again in August 2024

Recipe