Indulge your sweet tooth with this tender Blueberry Coffee Cake bursting with fresh blueberry flavor. The base of the cake is light and fluffy, made by creaming together butter and sugar to incorporate air for a pillowy texture. Lemony brightness cuts through the sweetness while ground cinnamon and brown sugar lend warmth in the brown sugar streusel topping. Every forkful delivers a balanced medley of flavors and textures.
This easy coffee cake comes together in just over an hour from start to finish. First, the streusel topping is prepped by mixing flour, spices, brown sugar, and chilled butter until crumbly. Next, the cake batter gets whisked together and studded with fresh blueberries before transferring to a baking pan. A generous layer of the streusel topping adds sweet crunch. While the cake bakes, the house fills with an irresistible aroma. Finally, out comes a beautiful coffee cake with crackly, caramelized streusel and juicy pockets of fruit. Serve warm or at room temperature for an anytime treat.
Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries. Do not thaw them first, add them frozen directly to the batter. The only difference is they may sink more than fresh blueberries.
What if I don’t have lemons to make the zest?
Can I skip it? The lemon zest helps brighten the flavor, so I don’t recommend skipping it. You can substitute orange zest instead if you don’t have lemons. Lime zest would also work.
Do I need to grease the baking pan even if I’m lining it with parchment paper?
Yes, it’s best to grease the sides of the pan to help the parchment paper adhere and prevent leakage. You can brush the pan with melted butter or use nonstick cooking spray.
How do I know when the coffee cake is fully baked?
Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the center. It’s fully baked when it comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it, about 55-60 minutes.
Can I make the streusel topping in advance?
Yes! You can prepare the streusel topping up to 5 days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. Let it come to room temperature before sprinkling over the batter.
Ingredients:
Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (85g) softened unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 10 tablespoons (140g) softened unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 cups (300g) fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions:
- Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter and use a fork or your fingers to mash and mix until crumbly with some large clumps. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper, allowing some overhang on the sides.
- Make the cake batter: In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Recipe by Ineskohl.info
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the lemon zest and mix to incorporate.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated after each time. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the blueberries gently to evenly distribute.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Top evenly with the reserved streusel topping.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
- Let cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving. Enjoy!
This moist blueberry coffee cake is packed with fresh blueberries and topped with a cinnamon brown sugar streusel for a delightfully sweet and tangy treat. The addition of lemon zest brightens the flavor of the cake beautifully. It’s perfect for weekend brunches or an anytime coffee break.
