The Best Blueberry Coffee Cake
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Anytime is a good time for this super moist, super crumbly blueberry coffee cake! It’s a golden, bakery-worthy treat loaded with plump blueberries and crowned with a buttery brown sugar crumble that’s perfect with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. It’s tender and plush with just the right amount of cozy, crumbly topping to make it feel homemade in all the best ways.
Our family loves sweet treats for breakfast. Our favorites include lemon blueberry loaf, puff pastry cinnamon rolls, and sheet pan pancakes, but I make blueberry coffee cake whenever I want to make mornings extra special. It always turns out light and fluffy inside with a crumbly golden brown crust, and the crispy streusel perfectly contrasts with the juicy blueberries.
It’s great for a special occasion breakfast or brunch. My family doesn’t complain about eating leftovers as an afternoon pick-me-up or after-dinner dessert either.
This cake is as easy as it is delicious. It’s the kind of bake that tastes like comfort, looks like love, and smells like the start of a really good day!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ridiculously easy: Prep the crumbly topping, make the batter, assemble, and bake. Make this treat from scratch in less than an hour.
- Wholesome ingredients: Fresh blueberries and some pantry staples are all you need to make this coffee cake.
- Homemade goodness: Freshly baked at home means no dry crumbs or artificial flavors – nothing beats fresh-out-of-the oven goodness!
- All-day, year-round treat: It’s easy enough for enjoying at home but special enough to share with or gift to friends.
- Serves a crowd: A batch serves a big family or a small crowd. Perfect for parties and gatherings!
- Customizable: Add other berries, use your favorite toppings, or drizzle with a glaze. This recipe is easy to make your own.
How to Make Blueberry Coffee Cake
This heavenly blueberry coffee cake comes together in 50 minutes, with just 10 minutes of active time. You’ll make the brown sugar streusel, mix a simple batter, gently fold in the blueberries, layer it in a pan, add the toppings, and bake until moist and golden. We only need 10 simple ingredients, although we divide some into the topping and cake.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
For the streusel topping:
- All-purpose flour: Use the spoon-and-level method when measuring to avoid a dense topping.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture, sweetness, and a rich caramel flavor to the streusel. Either light or dark brown sugar works great.
- Butter: Use softened butter to achieve that rich, crumbly texture.
For the cake:
- All-purpose flour and baking powder: For the structure and rise of the cake.
- Salt
- Butter: I use unsalted butter because we will be adding salt to the batter separately.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Milk: I use whole milk, I don’t recommend using low-fat or skim milk as they can result in a drier, less tender crumb and a noticeably less creamy flavor.
- Blueberries: Fresh is best, but you can use frozen when they’re out of season. Don’t be alarmed if the color of the batter becomes purple-tinted. This will happen as the berries thaw. The taste will be the same. Do not thaw before using; just fold frozen blueberries directly into the batter.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ready to whip up the ultimate blueberry coffee cake? These easy-to-follow steps will walk you through every layer – from the buttery streusel topping to the tender, berry-studded cake beneath. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Prep the streusel topping
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
Prepare the streusel topping by mixing the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Mix in the butter with the back of a fork until the mixture is thoroughly combined and crumbly. Set in the refrigerator to chill until ready to bake.
Step 2: Make the batter
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time then stir in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, while mixing on low. Start with about a third of the flour, add half the portion of milk, and then repeat until everything is in the bowl. Mix until just combined, avoid over mixing. Fold in 1 cup of blueberries.
Step 3: Assemble and bake
Transfer the batter to the greased baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top with the streusel and then the remaining 1 cup of blueberries.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Substitutions
Apart from the blueberries, this recipe calls for ingredients you probably already have at home. If you’re missing some or prefer to use other ingredients, consider these substitutions.
- All-purpose flour (topping): Substitute with oat flour or whole wheat flour.
- Brown sugar: Use coconut or regular white sugar if brown sugar is unavailable.
- All-purpose flour (cake): Swap out with cake flour.
- Baking powder: Make a homemade version by combining 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice for every teaspoon of baking needed.
- Granulated sugar: Replace with brown, coconut sugar or maple sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Substitute with almond extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Milk: Use any dairy, non-dairy, or dairy-free milk of your choice. You can also use buttermilk.
Expert Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Softened butter, eggs, and milk blend more easily into the batter, creating a smoother, more consistent cake texture. But you need cold butter for the topping!
- Toss blueberries in flour: This is optional, but doing so may prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking and keeps them evenly distributed throughout the cake.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Mix just until the flour is incorporated. Overmixing leads to a dense or tough cake.
- Add flavor and texture: For a fun twist, try adding ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the streusel and folding in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts), or a handful of white chocolate chips to the batter for extra flavor and texture. Toppings like a simple vanilla glaze, powdered sugar dusting, or even a dollop of whipped cream can give your cake an upgrade.
- Use parchment paper: While greasing the pan is okay, lining it with parchment paper makes lifting out the cake super easy and prevents sticking.
- Cool the cake: This helps it firm up and keeps the crumb from falling apart when you cut it.
How to Store This Recipe
Cool completely, cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container, then keep room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply leave it out at room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours to thaw.
What to Serve with Blueberry Coffee Cake
Blueberry coffee cake is best enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee, a frothy latte, or a glass of cold brew for the ultimate café-style treat. Kids love it with a tall glass of cold milk or mixed berry smoothie.
For a brunch spread, serve it alongside fresh fruit, yogurt parfaits, or scrambled eggs (sheet pan eggs is also a great choice!) for a balanced mix of sweet and savory.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes To Try
- Applesauce pancakes
- Berry smoothie bowl
- Impossible quiche
- Apple cinnamon overnight oats
- Make ahead breakfast sandwich
Easy Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sugar granulated
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups fresh blueberries divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Prepare the streusel topping by mixing the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Mix in the butter with the back of a fork until the mixture is thoroughly combined and crumbly. Set in the refrigerator to chill until ready to bake.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides as needed. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, while mixing on low. Start with about a third of the flour, add half the portion of milk, and then repeat until everything is in the bowl. Mix until just combined, avoid over mixing. Fold in 1 cup of blueberries.
- Transfer the batter to the greased baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top with the streusel and then the remaining 1 cup of blueberries. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Softened butter, eggs, and milk blend more easily into the batter, creating a smoother, more consistent texture.
- Mix the batter just until the flour is incorporated. Overmixing leads to a dense or tough cake.
- Add flavor and texture by adding ground cinnamon to the streusel and folding in lemon zest, chopped nuts, or white chocolate chips to the batter.
- Toppings like vanilla glaze, powdered sugar dusting, or even a dollop of whipped cream can give your cake an upgrade.
- While greasing the pan is okay, lining it with parchment paper makes lifting out the cake super easy and prevents sticking.
- Cool the cake before cutting to help it firm up and keep the crumb from falling apart when you cut it.
