Cottage Cheese Pancake Cake with Berries

Name: Cottage Cheese Pancake Cake with Berries
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (480 g) full-fat cottage cheese, at room temperature; 4 large eggs, at room temperature; ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder; 1½ tsp (7 ml) vanilla extract; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; ½ cup (170 g) honey; 1½ cups (210 g) fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or mixed), rinsed and patted dry; 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the baking dish

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, custardy oven-baked cake that marries the comfort of cottage cheese with the familiar flavors of pancakes. This cake rises gently in the oven, studded with fresh berries and drizzled with warm honey. The result is moist, slightly sweet, and perfect for brunch or a special breakfast.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: 1 cake (8 slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Use full-fat cottage cheese at room temperature for the creamiest texture
Have all ingredients measured and ready before starting

1
Prepare and greaseOven 375°F / 190°C
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with the butter, coating the bottom and sides evenly.
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Tip: Greasing prevents sticking and makes serving easier.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Set aside.
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Tip: Whisking the baking powder into the flour distributes it evenly for consistent rise.
3
Blend cottage cheese mixture
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Some small curds are fine, but break up any large clumps.
- This should take about 1 minute of vigorous whisking.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and homogeneous with few visible large curds.
Tip: Blending well helps the cake rise evenly and creates a tender crumb.
4
Combine wet and dry
- Add the dry ingredients to the cottage cheese mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula just until combined.
- Fold gently 8–10 times; the batter should be slightly lumpy.
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Ready when: No visible dry flour remains; texture is thick and slightly lumpy.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the cake; a lumpy batter is correct.
5
Add honey and berries
- Pour half the honey (about ¼ cup or 85 g) into the batter and fold gently until swirled throughout, 2–3 folds.
- Add the berries and fold gently another 2–3 times until just distributed.
- Do not crush the berries.
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Ready when: Honey is swirled into batter; berries are scattered evenly without being crushed.
Tip: Folding gently prevents the berries from breaking apart and staining the batter unevenly.
6
Transfer to baking dish
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.
- Spread evenly, but don't overwork it.
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Ready when: Batter is even and fills the dish to about ¾ inch (2 cm) from the rim.
7
Bake the cakeOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the baking dish in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and bake for 32–37 minutes, until the cake rises slightly, the edges are set and beginning to pull away from the sides of the dish, and the top is light golden brown.
- The center should still jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan—this indicates a moist, custardy texture.
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Ready when: Edges set and begin pulling away from dish sides; top is light golden brown; center jiggles slightly but doesn't look liquid.
Tip: The cake will continue to set as it cools, so don't overbake or it will become dry.
8
Drizzle with remaining honey
- Remove the cake from the oven and immediately drizzle the remaining honey (about ¼ cup or 85 g) evenly over the warm surface.
- Let the honey soak in for about 30 seconds, then give the pan a gentle shake to help distribute it.
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Ready when: Honey is drizzled and starting to soak into the warm cake.
Tip: Adding honey while the cake is warm helps it absorb for sweetness throughout.
9
Cool before serving
- Allow the cake to cool in the baking dish for 10 minutes.
- During this time, the cake will finish setting and be easier to slice.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Cake has cooled enough to handle but is still warm.
Tip: Cooling slightly makes slicing cleaner, but serving warm enhances the custardy texture.

Good to know

Tips

Use full-fat cottage cheese for the richest, most custardy result. Low-fat versions often have a gritty texture and more whey, which can make the cake watery.
Bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing. Cold eggs and cold cottage cheese are harder to blend smoothly and may not incorporate fully.
For extra flavor, add ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, or a pinch of cardamom to the dry ingredients.
This cake is best served warm with a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt, or whipped cream on the side.

Storage & reheating

Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes or microwave individual slices for 30–45 seconds. Freezing is not recommended as the cake becomes watery upon thawing.

Substitutions

fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or mixed) → Frozen berries (thawed and well-drained), or sliced fresh stone fruits (peaches, plums), or diced fresh apples. Use the same weight. Frozen berries work well but may release more liquid; drain them thoroughly. Stone fruits and apples will cook into the cake slightly.
honey → Maple syrup or agave nectar. Use equal amounts by volume. Maple syrup adds earthy flavor; agave is milder.
full-fat cottage cheese → Greek yogurt (full-fat) or sour cream, blended with an extra egg to maintain moisture. Greek yogurt will make the cake slightly tangier and firmer. If substituting, use 1½ cups yogurt plus 1 additional egg (5 eggs total), and reduce the amount of honey slightly if the yogurt is sweetened.
all-purpose flour → White whole-wheat flour or a blend of ¾ cup all-purpose flour and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Whole-wheat flour will make the cake denser and nuttier. Cornstarch lightens the texture if using whole-wheat flour.