Oh, do I have a treat for you today! Forget those dry, sad pastries you find in the supermarket aisle. This recipe for **Blueberry Coffee Cake** is my absolute go-to when I need something truly comforting—perfect for a weekend breakfast or a late-night sweet fix. It’s unbelievably moist, thanks to the way I handle the batter, and it boasts the crunchiest, most satisfying crumb topping you’ll ever make.
I actually messed up the very first time I tried this crumb topping; it turned into a solid, sugary sheet! But after a little trial and error (and maybe scraping that first batch straight into the trash, oops!), I nailed the ratio of cold butter to flour. Trust me, this simple technique guarantees that signature buttery crunch everyone fights over. This is truly the easiest, coziest cake you’ll ever whip up.
Why This Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe Stands Out
Honestly, I’ve tried a dozen different coffee cake recipes, and this one always wins. It’s everything you want in a homemade treat without any fuss. You don’t need a fancy stand mixer—just a couple of bowls and some enthusiasm!
- The crumb topping is addictive! It’s thick, crunchy, and perfectly balanced against the sweet cake.
- It stays wonderfully moist for days—a true testament to the simple batter structure.
- We use a straightforward alternating method for the wet and dry ingredients, which keeps the whole batter tender. You can check out my general guide on simple coffee cake tips if you want to see how that works!
Gathering Ingredients for Your Blueberry Coffee Cake
Whenever I’m baking something this delicious, I always tell people that ingredient quality really matters. You can have the best technique in the world, but if your butter tastes funny, your **Blueberry Coffee Cake** won’t shine! For this recipe, pay close attention to the butter temperatures—they are key! I keep my butter out long enough to soften for the batter, but the topping butter must stay ice cold. It makes all the difference, I promise.
If you’re curious about boosting your general baking skills once you have your ingredients ready, check out my favorite baking tips to make you a better baker!
For the Blueberry Coffee Cake Batter
This list is for the main cake structure. Make sure that 1/2 cup of butter is truly softened—you should be able to press your finger into it easily.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
For the Crumb Topping
This is where the magic happens! The butter here absolutely must be cold and cut into small pieces before you start combining everything, otherwise, it just melts into the sugar and flour.
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (for topping)
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (for topping)
Expert Tips for the Perfect Blueberry Coffee Cake Crumb Topping
Listen, I know it seems simple—just flour, sugar, and butter—but this crumb topping is where most people trip up! My biggest secret, which I learned the hard way, is temperature control. You want your butter cut into those little pieces, and it needs to stay cold, cold, cold when you mix it with the flour and brown sugar.
I always use my fingertips for this part. If you use your whole hand, the natural heat transfers too fast and you end up with sugary paste instead of gorgeous, distinct crumbs. Work quickly! You’re aiming for pieces about the size of small peas. Once you have that perfect texture, sprinkle it gently and evenly over your blueberry coffee cake batter. Don’t let any spot have too much or too little!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Blueberry Coffee Cake
It’s time to make some magic! Don’t let the steps intimidate you; this process is surprisingly quick once you get going. We move fast, especially when the oven is preheating, so get your ingredients ready to go. We are starting with the basics to get that perfect foundation for our **Blueberry Coffee Cake**.
Preparing the Batter and Pan
First things first: crank that oven up to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). While it heats up, get your 8×8 inch pan greased and floured—don’t skip this, we want that cake to come out clean! In one bowl, whisk your dry ingredients together: that’s 1 1/2 cups of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set that aside for a minute.
Now for the wet stuff! In a bigger bowl, cream that softened butter and the granulated sugar until they look light and fluffy—it should look almost like whipped clouds. Beat in your egg. Then listen closely: you add the dry mixture and the milk alternately. Start and end with the dry stuff. Just mix enough until they are combined. Seriously, stop mixing as soon as you see the flour disappear. Overmixing is the enemy of tenderness in a moist **Blueberry Coffee Cake**!
Finally, gently fold in those beautiful blueberries. If you happen to be using frozen ones like I sometimes do, do not thaw them first! Just fold them in gently and pour that batter into your prepared pan. If you ever need a substitute for milk, you can always check out my thoughts on making buttermilk substitutions, though regular milk works perfectly here!
Assembling and Baking the Blueberry Coffee Cake
Now we dress it up! Take the flour and brown sugar for the topping and gently cut in that cold butter. You want those lovely coarse crumbs we talked about—use your fingertips and work fast so the butter stays cold. Sprinkle that crunchy topping evenly right over the batter in the pan. Try to get good coverage because that topping is the best part!
Pop it into the preheated oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a wooden pick you stick right into the center comes out clean—not wet, just clean with maybe a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Let it cool down right there in the pan before you try to slice it. You’ll be so tempted to cut it hot, but patience pays off for the best results!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Blueberry Coffee Cake
I always get asked about changes people want to make, especially if they are missing an ingredient or happen to have something else on hand. Don’t sweat it too much! This **Blueberry Coffee Cake** is really forgiving, but there are a few notes from my original testing you must keep in mind.
First, if you’re grabbing berries from the freezer, please don’t thaw them out first! I learned that lesson early on—thawed berries bleed horribly, and you end up with streaky, purple batter instead of beautiful blueberry pockets in your cake. Toss those frozen jewels right in as they are.
You can definitely swap things out, too! If blueberries aren’t your favorite suddenly, raspberries work amazingly well instead. They give a little extra tartness that balances the sweetness beautifully. Just follow the one-cup measurement.
Now, about vanilla—I didn’t list it in the main ingredients because Grandma never used it in her older recipes, but *I* always sneak in about a half teaspoon of vanilla extract with the wet ingredients. It just deepens everything! It doesn’t overpower the blueberries, but those fruity notes really pop when you add that little bit of extra warmth. It’s my personal trick for making this **Blueberry Coffee Cake** taste extra professional!
Serving Suggestions for Your Blueberry Coffee Cake
The hard part is over, and now we get to the best part: eating it! Honestly, this **Blueberry Coffee Cake** is spectacular all on its own. It’s perfect ripped apart by hand while still slightly warm, just maybe with a big mug of hot black coffee nearby to cut through the sweetness.
If you’re serving it up for brunch, a light dusting of powdered sugar makes it look extra pretty—that’s the simplest way to upgrade the presentation! If you happen to have friends over for dessert, though, you have to try serving a slice warm with a small scoop of really good vanilla ice cream. The cool creaminess hitting that warm, buttery crumble? Wow, it’s incredible!
It’s sturdy enough that it doesn’t fall apart, which is why I love it, but sweet enough to satisfy that dessert craving. You can find some other great pairing ideas on my main coffee cake page, especially if you’re looking for seasonal toppings over on my simple coffee cake recipe post!
Storing Leftovers of This Delicious Blueberry Coffee Cake
This cake keeps surprisingly well because the crumb topping acts like a little natural barrier against the air. If you’re serving it through the day, leaving it right on the counter covered loosely with foil is perfectly fine for a day or so. That generous crumb keeps the moisture locked in!
If you need to keep it longer than 24 hours, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap first, then pop them into an airtight container in the fridge. Don’t worry about it getting dry! When you want a slice of **Blueberry Coffee Cake** later, just microwave it for about 10 to 15 seconds. It warms right up, and that crumb topping gets just slightly soft and wonderful again.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blueberry Coffee Cake
I always hear from folks who want to tweak things just a little bit, and that’s great! Baking should be fun. Here are the questions I get asked most often about keeping this **Blueberry Coffee Cake** perfect.
How do I stop the blueberries from sinking to the bottom?
This is a super common issue! If you use fresh blueberries, you need to toss them in about a teaspoon of flour *before* you fold them into the batter. That tiny bit of flour coating helps them grab onto the cake batter instead of sliding down during baking. If you’re using frozen berries, they are usually less prone to sinking because they are denser, but coating them in flour never hurts!
Can I make this Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe without dairy?
That’s a tricky one, but totally doable with a few swaps! You can use a non-dairy milk like oat or almond milk instead of regular milk. For the butter? You’ll need to find a good quality stick-style vegan butter substitute that measures cup-for-cup just like dairy butter does. I haven’t tried making a vegan crumb topping yet, but I imagine it works if the vegan butter is kept very cold!
What is the best way to store leftovers to keep the crumb crunchy?
If you’re planning on eating this **Blueberry Coffee Cake** within a day, keeping it tightly covered on the counter is what I do—it preserves the moisture best. If you need more than 48 hours, you have to refrigerate it, but here’s the trick: Store the cake *without* the crumb topping if possible, or at least cover the top loosely. The fridge moisture softens the crumb. When you reheat a slice, microwave it for just a few seconds, and the crumb firms right back up!
Can I use dried blueberries instead of fresh or frozen?
You know, sticking to fresh or frozen is really what makes this recipe shine, they burst open and release juice, wetting the cake as it bakes. Dried blueberries don’t do that, and they can get chewy. If you must use dried, you absolutely have to soak them first! Try soaking your dried blueberries in hot water or even a little bit of orange juice for about 20 minutes to plump them up, then drain them really, really well before gently folding them into the batter. You can find some more general fruit swap ideas over on my easy blueberry cake recipe page!
Nutritional Snapshot of Blueberry Coffee Cake
I’m not a nutritionist, so please don’t quote me on this for your special diet plan! But for those of you who like to keep track, here is a rough idea of what one slice of this delicious **Blueberry Coffee Cake** might look like based on dividing everything up into 9 standard servings. Remember, this depends entirely on how thick you cut the slices!
We’re looking at quick energy and sweetness here, so fat and sugar are the highlights, as expected in a coffee cake with a big crumb topping:
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: Around 280
- Sugar: Roughly 20g (that’s mostly from the fruit and the topping!)
- Fat: About 15g total fat
- Carbohydrates: Near 35g
- Protein: A small boost at 3g
It’s definitely a treat, and because it’s homemade, you know exactly what went into it—no weird additives, just real butter and real enjoyment!
Nutritional Snapshot of Blueberry Coffee Cake
I’m not a nutritionist, so please don’t quote me on this for your special diet plan! But for those of you who like to keep track, here is a rough idea of what one slice of this delicious **Blueberry Coffee Cake** might look like based on dividing everything up into 9 standard servings. Remember, this depends entirely on how thick you cut the slices!
We’re looking at quick energy and sweetness here, so fat and sugar are the highlights, as expected in a coffee cake with a big crumb topping:
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: Around 280
- Sugar: Roughly 20g (that’s mostly from the fruit and the topping!)
- Fat: About 15g total fat
- Carbohydrates: Near 35g
- Protein: A small boost at 3g
It’s definitely a treat, and because it’s homemade, you know exactly what went into it—no weird additives, just real butter and real enjoyment!
Print
Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Total Time: 55 min
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple recipe for a moist coffee cake with a sweet blueberry filling and a crumb topping.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (for topping)
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8×8 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Cut in the 1/4 cup cold butter using your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the batter.
- You can substitute fresh or frozen raspberries for the blueberries.
- For an extra layer of flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 45
Keywords: blueberry, coffee cake, crumb topping, breakfast cake, simple cake