Blueberry Crumb Cake + Video

Blueberry Crumb Cake is light and fluffy with fresh (or frozen) blueberries and a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. The BEST blueberry coffee cake for breakfast or brunch.

Coffee Cake

If you’re a fan of blueberry muffins, then you’ll probably love this blueberry crumb cake, aka. coffee cake.

Why is American coffee cake so popular across the United States? I’ve got one word for you “streusel.” That crunchy crumb topping made of flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter is a favorite for many.

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The streusel is either just on top, or sprinkled into the middle of the cake as well, creating two layers, like my sour cream coffee cake.

The cake itself isn’t overly sweet, so the streusel adds a nice layer of sweetness and a crunchy texture.

Coffee cakes may sometimes have icing drizzled on top, but they don’t necessarily need it. The streusel topping adds enough sweetness and substitutes the need for any icing.

Regardless of its name, not all coffee cakes have coffee in them, but they are commonly eaten with coffee or as a breakfast/brunch item.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

This blueberry coffee cake has an extremely light and fluffy, yet moist and tender crumb thanks to buttermilk. Making sour milk with vinegar or lemon juice also works as a great substitute. (See notes for how to make it.)

The streusel is thick and crunchy with a hint of cinnamon. You can always add more cinnamon, if you like a stronger taste.

Fresh or frozen blueberries work well for this recipe. If you do use frozen blueberries, I would simply sprinkle them on top instead of folding them inside the batter, to prevent bleeding. Otherwise you will need to rinse them until the water runs clear and pat them dry.

For the Streusel

First things first, you will make the streusel topping, so you can refrigerate it until you’re ready to assemble the cake. This prevents the butter from melting before it hits the oven. And helps keep the streusel from dissolving completely into the cake batter.

To make the streusel, place the flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter in a bowl.

Cut ingredients together with a pastry blender or fork. Or simply rub the mixture together with your fingers until the butter is incorporated.

There should be some fine crumbs, but it should be able to clump together if you squeeze it in your hands. Place the streusel in the fridge, until ready to assemble the cake.

For the Cake Batter

For the cake you will need these basic ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Butter
• Granulated Sugar
• Large Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Buttermilk (or milk mixed with vinegar or lemon juice – directions in recipe notes)
• Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

How to Make Blueberry Crumb Cake

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. This helps keep the crumb light and tender. If you don’t have a fine mesh sieve, you can whisk the ingredients well to incorporate as much air as possible.

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. Incorporate the eggs one at a time.
3. Add the vanilla. Mix and scrape bowl.
4. Add HALF of the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
5. Add all of the buttermilk. Mix until just incorporated.
6. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

*See step-by-step photos below.

For the Blueberries

If using fresh blueberries fold them in gently.

If using frozen blueberries, layer them directly on top of the cake batter when assembling (before topping with streusel.)

Alternately rinse the frozen blueberries in a colander until the water runs clear, and then pat them dry before folding them into the batter. You may even toss them with one Tablespoon of flour as an added measure to help prevent bleeding.

Assembling the Blueberry Crumble Cake

Spread the blueberry cake batter evenly into a greased 9×9-inch square pan.

Sprinkle the top with the prepared streusel. I like to squeeze some of the streusel in my hands to have some big clumps, and not all just sandy crumbs.

Baking Tips

Bake the blueberry crumb cake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-55 minutes (or longer, around 60 minutes if using frozen blueberries) or until cake springs back (doesn’t jiggle) when touched in the center. Do not over-bake.

You may need to cover the top with foil if it browns quicker than it bakes in the center.

Unfortunately it’s hard to use a toothpick to judge doneness with this cake, since the streusel scrapes the toothpick clean even when the center is still jiggly. Go off of touch for this one. Just be careful not to burn yourself.

Storage

This blueberry coffee cake can be stored at room temperature up to 5 days. Just leave the cake in the pan and cover the pan tightly with foil or plastic wrap. You can also transfer the cake to an airtight container.

This blueberry crumb cake recipe is fruity and sweet. I just love the crunchy streusel topping. Enjoy!

More Coffee Cake Recipes

• Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
• Coffee Cake Banana Bread
• Irish Apple Cake
• Coffee Cake Muffins
• 9×13 Coffee Cake
• Cinnamon Chip Coffee Cake

4.32 from 38 ratings

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Created by Amber Brady

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 55 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

A light and fluffy cake loaded with blueberries and topped with sweet and crunchy streusel.

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YieldsYields9 Servings

Ingredients

Cake:

• ▢ 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon, & level)
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ ½ cup (113 g) butter, (1 stick) softened
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla
• ▢ 1 cup (237 g) buttermilk*
• ▢ 2 cups (280 g) blueberries, rinsed and dried

Streusel:

• ▢ ⅔ cup (80 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ⅔ cup (134 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 6 Tbsp (85 g) butter, cold

Equipment

• 9-inch square baking dish
• KitchenAid 5-Qt. Stand Mixer 
• Fine Mesh Strainer/Sieve

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan. (I like to use Baker's Joy.) Set aside.
• For the streusel: Place flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter in a bowl. Cut ingredients together with a pastry blender or fork. Or simply rub the mixture together with your fingers until the butter is incorporated. (There should be some fine crumbs, but it should be able to clump together if you squeeze it in your hands.) Refrigerate streusel until ready to assemble cake.
• For the cake: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Incorporate the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla. Scrape bowl.
• Add HALF the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
• Add all of the buttermilk. Mix until just incorporated.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Do not over-mix.
• Gently fold in the blueberries. Spread cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the prepared streusel. (I like to squeeze some of the streusel in my hands to have some big clumps, and not all just sandy crumbs.)
• Bake at 375˚F for 45 to 60 minutes or until the cake springs back (doesn’t jiggle) when touched in the center. Do not over-bake. (NOTE: The streusel will scrape the cake batter off a toothpick even if cake is underbaked. Carefully use your fingers to make sure the cake doesn't jiggle in the center.)
• Allow cake to cool completely before cutting and serving. Store cake covered tightly in pan with foil or plastic wrap. Alternately transfer cake to an airtight container and store at room temperature up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

• To make buttermilk: Mix 1 cup milk with 2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar or lemon juice; let sit 5-10 minutes before using.
• To use frozen blueberries: Either sprinkle the frozen blueberries over the cake batter, before adding the streusel. Or rinse the berries in a colander until the water runs clear. Pat the berries dry and toss them with 1 Tablespoon of flour to help prevent bleeding.
• For a thinner cake, bake in a 9×13-inch pan at 375˚F for 20-35 minutes.

Nutrition Info.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 367mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g

Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.

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*Originally published 1/20/13. Photos updated March 2022.