Easy Coconut Blueberry Cake

We were originally going to go out for my dad's birthday last night, but he wasn't feeling well so we made it a casual night in instead. We all went over to my parents' house (Hudson, too!), ordered take-out and hung out in the kitchen eating and laughing until well past midnight.

When my mom told me about the change of plans that afternoon, I realized that I at least had the time to bake up a quick cake to bring along. I had to work with what I had, so took a look in the fridge and pantry and pulled together this easy Coconut Blueberry Cake. It's a variation of a cake I've made a lot of times using buttermilk, but with a few easy switches.

Honestly, this is one of those cakes that is super adaptable. Swap in a different fruit or berry, add some nuts or a different extract, and you have a new cake. The whole thing takes just a little over an hour from start to finish, so it's a great one to keep in mind for those last-minute emergencies.

(Can we call those cake-mergencies?)

Note that a springform pan definitely works best for this recipe so you can release the sides without disturbing the cake, but I've made a version of it in a regular cake pan, too. You'll just have to do a quick double flip to get it out. Or just serve it straight from the pan!

Do you have any favorite last-minute cake recipes you turn to in times like this? Let me know--I"m always looking for a few good ideas!

Like this one? Check out some of my other favorite easy cake recipes with fruit:

• Simple Summer Cake
• Blueberry Almond Buttermilk Cake
• Blackberry Saffron Almond Cake

Easy Coconut Blueberry Cake
Makes one 9-inch cake (about 8 servings)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut + 1/4 cup more for topping
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure coconut extract (optional, but I like the flavor boost!)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt (thick buttermilk works, too)
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (shake can well before measuring to make sure the fat is evenly distributed)
2 cups fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (such as sugar in the raw) or other coarse-crystal sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and place the rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 9" round springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Sift together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the first 1/2 cup of shredded coconut. Set aside.

In the base of your electric mixer (or by hand) cream together the butter and 1 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the zest, coconut extract, and eggs, and beat well for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Lower the speed of your mixer to 'stir,' and mix in the flour in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk until all is combined.

Pour your batter into the baking pan and use a spatula to smooth.

In a bowl, toss your berries with the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded coconut. Spread over the batter evenly. They should completely cover the cake. (Note that during baking most will sink in, so don't worry if the layer of berries seems thick.)

Sprinkle the course sugar all over the top of the berries and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 45 - 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

(Note: if the top starts to darken too much before the cake is fully baked in the center, cover with foil and continue baking 5 minutes at a time until set.)

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and release the sides of the spring form. I also like to transfer it to a rack at this point to let cool completely before serving.