Nothing beats the smell of a warm blueberry coffee cake baking in your kitchen. This tender, buttery cake is packed with juicy blueberries and topped with a golden cinnamon streusel. It’s soft, sweet, and perfect with your morning coffee or as a cozy afternoon snack. The best part is that it uses simple pantry ingredients and is easy enough for beginner bakers to make confidently.
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Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Coffee Cake
This blueberry coffee cake delivers the perfect balance of rich flavor and soft texture. The sour cream keeps it extra moist, while the cinnamon streusel adds a crunchy sweetness. A touch of lemon zest brightens every bite, making it taste fresh and irresistible. You can serve it for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, and it stores beautifully for days. Whether you use fresh or frozen berries, it bakes up perfectly every time. The mix of buttery crumbs and juicy blueberries makes it a recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Streusel Topping
You’ll need flour for structure, brown and granulated sugars for sweetness and caramel flavor, and cinnamon for warmth. Cold butter is the key ingredient that creates that crumbly, bakery-style topping as it bakes.
For the Cake
Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour gives stability, baking powder and baking soda provide lift, and a pinch of salt balances flavor.
Wet ingredients: butter adds richness, sugar and lemon zest create sweetness and fragrance, eggs build structure, and sour cream gives perfect moisture. Vanilla adds depth, and blueberries bring fruity bursts. Tossing berries in flour keeps them from sinking.
Ingredient Substitutions
You can use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, vegan butter for a dairy-free option, or a gluten-free flour blend for those with sensitivities. Lime zest can replace lemon for a fun flavor change.
How to Make Blueberry Coffee Cake Step-by-Step
Prep the Pan and Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. This helps with easy removal and clean edges.
Make the Streusel
In a small bowl, combine flour, both sugars, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter using a fork or your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Keep it in the refrigerator while preparing the batter.
Prepare the Batter
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another large bowl, mix the sugar and lemon zest until sandy. Add the butter and beat until creamy and light. Next, add eggs and vanilla, mixing just until smooth. Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream, starting and ending with the dry mixture. Mix gently to keep the batter tender.
Add the Blueberries
Fold in the floured blueberries with a spatula. Be careful not to crush them to avoid coloring the batter.
Assemble and Bake
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cold streusel evenly on top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes before slicing.
Expert Baking Tips
Use room temperature ingredients for the best texture. Avoid overmixing the batter so the crumb stays soft. Always coat blueberries in flour to prevent them from sinking. Keep the streusel cold until baking so it stays crumbly. Start checking for doneness at 45 minutes since oven temperatures vary. For a beautiful finish, dust the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle it with a simple lemon glaze before serving.
Storage, Freezing, and Make-Ahead Tips
Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If you need to store it longer, refrigerate it for up to a week. For freezing, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. Thaw slices at room temperature or reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to enjoy that fresh-baked taste again. It’s a great make-ahead treat for brunch or holiday mornings.
Variations to Try
Try baking this recipe in a Bundt pan and layering half the streusel in the middle for a lovely surprise. Add a lemon glaze for a citrus twist or mix in raspberries and blackberries for extra color. You can even toss in a handful of chopped nuts for crunch. Just adjust the baking time if you use a different pan size.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- banana oat muffins for a wholesome breakfast
- almond croissants that taste bakery-fresh
- baked cream cheese french toast casserole
- instant pot steel cut oats for a hearty start
- air fryer egg and cheese toast breakfast
- pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes
Conclusion
This blueberry coffee cake is a cozy, crowd-pleasing treat that’s moist, buttery, and filled with juicy blueberries. It’s perfect for brunch, breakfast, or dessert and tastes even better the next day. Whether you serve it warm or chilled, everyone will ask for seconds. Try it soon and share your version in the comments or find more ideas on Pinterest.
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9×9 inch baking pan Use metal or glass
- electric mixer Hand or stand mixer works
- Mixing bowls Use separate bowls for dry and wet ingredients
- Parchment paper For easy removal
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (for cake)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 cups blueberries tossed with 1 tbsp flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix flour, both sugars, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In another bowl, beat sugar and lemon zest until sandy. Add butter and cream until light. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Mix gently.
- Fold in floured blueberries carefully to prevent streaking.
- Spread batter in pan, top with chilled streusel, and bake for 45–55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15–20 minutes before serving.
