Ina Garten's Favorite Weekend Recipe Lets You Eat Cake for Breakfast

Ina Garten has confirmed on her show and in podcast interviews that she and her husband Jeffrey thoroughly enjoy breakfast for breakfast, of course, as well as breakfast for dinner. And based on the feedback we get about our best brunch recipes, Allrecipes fans agree that there's no wrong time of day for a sweet or savory a.m.-inspired meal.

You might initially think of classic dishes like pancakes or frittatas as the epitome of breakfast-by-day or breakfast-by-night, but it's time to expand your horizons, a couple of celebrity culinary icons agree. On the heels of Stanley Tucci's 6-ingredient pasta casserole that's so good he eats it for breakfast, Food Network star, cookbook author, and entertaining wizard Ina Garten has a sweet suggestion for your breakfast menu—no matter when you serve it: cake. Specifically, Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake.

Garten originally developed and perfected the recipe for her Fall 2022 cookbook, "Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook". She adores it so much, she didn't stop there, and that's what really caught our attention.

This spring, Garten baked a Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake to share with Laura Linney when the actor appeared on Garten's "Be My Guest" interview/cooking show. Then just two months later, Garten resurfaced the berry-stuffed cake again on Instagram as a recommendation for Mother's Day menus.

Garten says on Instagram, "Who wouldn't love cake for breakfast?!!!"

There are a couple of incognito ingredients that really make this cake, well, take the cake, Garten says on the Food Network recipe page for this treat: "Everyone who makes this cake can't believe how easy it is! The ricotta and sour cream keep the cake moist and the blueberries and lemon zest give it lots of flavor."

Garten's greatest fans are chiming in with rave reviews like, "I made this cake for Mother's Day, then twice more in May 2023. This is the moistest, tastiest cake," and "so light and tasty, and not too sweet."

It's clear that both the Barefoot Contessa and her fans are definitely crushing on this recipe. After recreating it ourselves, we can definitely see—or, more accurately, taste—why.

Related: Ina Garten's Creamy Sausage Pasta Recipe Is So Good I Make It at Least Once a Month

How to Make Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake

Even if you're fairly new to baking, you probably know the drill: Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Now it's time to round up your equipment: A 9-inch round springform pan, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a bowl and a hand mixer), a bowl, and a rubber spatula.

Grease and flour the springform pan, and shake out any extra flour.

Then in your stand mixer or bowl, add 10 tablespoons of room-temperature unsalted butter and 1 cup of white sugar. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low, then add 3 room temp extra-large eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Next add 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (when she doesn't use her homemade vanilla, Garten swears by Nielsen-Massey), and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest. Mix well. And take a deep breath; the batter should look somewhat curdled at this point, Garten confirms.

In a bowl, add 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to distribute the dry ingredients evenly, then with the mixer on low, slowly shake the dry ingredients into the batter. Mix until the flour blend is just incorporated, being careful not to overmix at this point.

With your spatula, gently fold 1 1/3 cups fresh blueberries into the lemony batter. Transfer this all to the prepared springform pan, and smooth out the top. Sprinkle 2/3 cup fresh blueberries evenly on top of the cake, tapping them slightly into the batter.

Bake for 50 minutes or so, or until you can stick a toothpick into the center and see it come out clean. (Psst…learn more about the toothpick test in our guide to how to steer clear of common cake fails.)

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the springform ring and lightly dust the top with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature—or follow the lead of Garten superfan and Store Bought is Fine blog creator Trent Pfeifer and save it for tomorrow.

"The nice thing about this recipe is that it can be made ahead and remains just as delicious as right out of the oven," he says on Instagram.

After sampling a slice on day one after dinner and for breakfast on day two, I can report that it's delicious any time. Plus, since it requires just two bowls, a spatula, and a pan, I definitely give this cake brownie points for being a breeze to clean up after.

Related: 11 Different Types of Cake — and How to Tell Them Apart

3 Ways to Make Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake Your Own

With its dense yet tender consistency and sweet-tart flavor, Garten's breakfast cake is pretty perfect as-is. But if you want to mix things up or are short on some of the ingredients, try any or all of these customization options.

• Go Greek. If you don't have sour cream, swap in an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt. The flavor and texture are similar enough that you shouldn't notice any difference.
• Mix up your berries. Lemon and blueberries are a beautifully summery duo, but the violet-hued berries aren't your only option. If you like, try 2 cups of fresh raspberries, blackberries, diced strawberries—or a mix of all of the above—instead.
• Add a glaze. Instead of the confectioners' sugar, consider a glaze. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then whisk until smooth. After the cake cools to room temperature, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.