Bluberry Coffee Cake is the ultimate Spring treat! Made with a light and fluffy cake studded with fresh berries and bright lemon zest, what makes this Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake truly irresistible is that it is finished with a buttery streusel and bright lemon glaze. This delicious coffee cake is suitable for dessert or brunch!
Inspired by my Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe and Cranberry Coffee Cake Muffins, this Blueberry Coffee Cake features a light and tender crumb, crunchy streusel, sweet blueberries, and a tart lemon glaze, to create the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Reasons to Love Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Loaded with Blueberries. The addition of sweet, plump blueberries adds a burst of sweetness, texture, and flavor to this coffee cake, just as they do in homemade blueberry muffins.
- Super Moist and Tender Coffee Cake. The secret to keeping this blueberry coffee cake light and fluffy is the addition of sour cream. The tang from the sour cream also helps to balance out the sweetness of the cake itself, just as it does in Lemon Cheesecake Bars.
- Loaded with Streusel. While most coffee cakes feature streusels, this recipe has streusel overload and that is a good thing! The texture and flavor that the buttery crumble adds to this coffee cake are insanely delicious. You will never see a crumb of it left behind on my plate! I am sure to lick the plate clean--even when entertaining, it is just that good!
- Bright and Fresh Flavor. Blueberries and lemon are a natural match made in heaven. By adding lemon zest to the coffee cake batter and using fresh lemon juice to make a tart lemon glaze, the Blueberry Coffee Cake is given a bright, fresh flavor that complements the blueberries.
- Favorite Brunch Recipe. This Blueberry Coffee Cake is the perfect addition to any brunch menu and is especially delightful when served with Quiche Lorraine and Candied Bacon. And don't forget the homemade latte, as coffee cakes are traditionally served with a cup of coffee.
Notes on Ingredients
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used for both the cake batter and the streusel, to give the overall blueberry coffee cake a rich flavor, delicate crumb, and buttery streusel.
- Sour Cream: Be sure to use full-fat or reduced-fat sour cream, not fat-free as the consistency of the cake may be affected.
- Blueberries: You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries to make this blueberry coffee cake. If using frozen berries, do not defrost them before adding them to the cake batter.
- Sugar: This recipe calls for brown sugar, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar. The brown sugar adds warmth and color to the streusel. Powdered sugar is best for the glaze, as it dissolves easily into the lemon juice. While granulated sugar is best suited for the cake batter.
- Lemon: For this recipe, you need fresh lemons, as you need both the zest and juice from the lemons. Be sure to zest the lemon BEFORE slicing it open to juice it! It is next to impossible to zest any fruit after it has been sliced open.
Recipe Modifications
- Add Nuts. If desired add up to ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the streusel topping before baking.
- Omit the Lemon. I find that the lemon zest and lemon glaze add a nice bright, tart flavor to the blueberry coffee cake. That said, if you don't care for a subtle lemon flavor simply omit the lemon zest from the cake and use milk instead of lemon juice to prepare the glaze or skip the glaze altogether.
- Swap out the berries. Feel free to use blackberries, raspberries, or hulled and diced strawberries in place of the blueberries.
How to Make Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One: Prepare the Streusel. For a streusel that is crumbly and doesn't melt into the cake as it bakes and adds an irresistible texture to the coffee cake, be sure to use cold butter and add it to brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until crumbs form.
Step Two: Prepare the Coffee Cake Batter. Just like any cake, it is best to cream the butter, sugar, and eggs together. Then fold in the dry ingredients, this will help prevent overmixing the batter which can result in a dense coffee cake. One trick to keeping the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake is to add them to the dry ingredients and toss them to coat the berries in the flour.
Step Three: Assemble Coffee Cake. Spread the lemon blueberry cake batter in a buttered 8x8 baking dish. Top evenly with the streusel.
Step Four: Bake. Bake until the cake is set or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. After the lemon coffee cake has been baking for 30 minutes, peek at it to see if the streusel is browning too quickly. If needed, tent with foil, so that the streusel does not burn.
Step Five. Glaze the Blueberry Coffee Cake. While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Once the cake has fully cooled, drizzle the glaze over the cake.
Serving Suggestions
This Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake is the perfect addition to any holiday brunch or weekend breakfast, alongside Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole, fruit salad, and Baked Bacon. However, this coffee cake is sweet enough, that it can also be served as a dessert.
Storage Directions
- Store: Once the coffee cake has fully cooled, cover it well, and store it for up to 3 days at room temperature or well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: If you would like to freeze the blueberry coffee cake, bake it as directed, and cool fully. Wrap the cake well with plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost the coffee cake overnight and then glaze before serving.
If you enjoyed this recipe for Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold butter cubed
For the Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries see note for using frozen berries
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
For the Glaze
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease an 8-inch pan with butter.
- For the Streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt until evenly combined. Add in ½ cup of cold butter and use your fingers to mix the mixture until crumbs form and the butter is well distributed through the flour and sugar. Set aside.
- For the Cake: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together ½ cup butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy. This should take 3-5 minutes. Once fluffy, add in 2 eggs and mix again to incorporate. Add in 1 cup of sour cream, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir in 1 cup of blueberries and toss to coat them with the flour.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and use a spatula to combine then fold the mixture together until it is just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Evenly sprinkle the streusel mixture over the top of the cake batter.
- Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few crumbs. Be sure to check on the cake after 25 minutes to see if the streusel is browning too much. If it is, lightly tent with foil and continue baking it until set.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool for at least 10-15 minutes before drizzling it with glaze.
- For the Glaze: While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by sifting 1 cup of powdered sugar over a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the sifted powdered sugar, whisking to combine. Add additional lemon juice, as needed, to create a smooth glaze that drizzles easily from the whisk.
- Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled cake and serve.
Shawn .
My family said this was suburb and all had seconds!!!,
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
Missy
I made this blueberry coffee cake for my book club this week and it was a huge hit. Simple to make and the lemon glaze really took it to over the top amazing.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing, Missy! I am thrilled you and your book club enjoyed the coffee cake.
Brandi
This was absolute perfection! The streusel was incredible and the best part.
Kristen Chidsey
So happy to hear you enjoyed, Brandi!