A moist, lemony blueberry coffee cake topped with fresh blueberries and a delicious spiced crumb topping. This tender blueberry crumb cake is perfect for any time of year, made easy with the use of frozen berries when fresh ones aren’t available!
This blueberry crumb cake is a perfect balance of flavors and textures—tender, moist cake, bursting with fresh blueberries, and topped with a sweet, crumbly topping. It’s the kind of dessert that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.
I love baking with fruit, especially blueberries. They’re available year-round, and I firmly believe we shouldn’t limit ourselves to making blueberry desserts just in summer! Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh, making this cake a treat you can enjoy any time of year.
If you’ve been blueberry picking and need a delicious recipe to use up your fresh haul, this one is ideal. And if you’re using frozen berries, don’t worry—you won’t lose any of the flavor or texture (you don’t even need to defrost them!)
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Crumb Cake
This blueberry crumb cake is a delightful twist on the classic coffee cake, with a generous amount of fresh berries folded into the batter and a heaping layer of blueberries on top. The cake is finished with a traditional crumbly, sweet topping that melts into the berries as it bakes, creating a rich, flavorful crumb with every bite.
What makes this cake so special is its tender crumb and warm, comforting flavors. Unlike other blueberry cakes, the berries really shine in this recipe, standing out beneath the crunchy topping without being overwhelmed. The combination of sweet, tart blueberries and the spiced, buttery crumb topping creates the perfect balance of flavors.
The best part? This cake is incredibly easy to make, making it ideal for last-minute breakfast treats or dessert. Ideal for potlucks, Fourth of July parties, or brunch.
What’s in Blueberry Crumb Cake
All-purpose flour
This basic flour forms the structure of the cake, providing a tender crumb while allowing the flavors of the spices and berries to shine.
Baking powder
A leavening agent that helps the cake rise, ensuring a light and airy texture.
Kosher salt
Salt enhances the flavor of the cake and balances the sweetness. Diamond Crystal is recommended for its mild flavor, but if you use Morton’s, halve the amount.
Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg
These spices add warmth and depth to the cake, giving it a cozy, spiced aroma that pairs beautifully with the blueberries. Feel free to mix and match spices, adjusting to preference.
Butter
Butter brings richness and moisture to the cake, contributing to its soft and tender texture.
Sugar: White sugar for the cake, brown sugar for the topping
White sugar sweetens the cake batter, and keeps it moist, while brown sugar in the crumb topping adds a deep, caramelized sweetness and moisture.
Fresh lemon zest
The lemon zest brightens the cake with a refreshing citrusy flavor that complements the sweetness of the berries and enhances the overall taste.
Eggs and egg yolks
The eggs provide structure, while the extra egg yolks make the cake more rich and tender, contributing to its moistness.
Vanilla extract
Good-quality vanilla extract elevates the flavor, adding a subtle yet significant depth to the cake.
Sour cream (or crème fraîche for extra richness)
Sour cream contributes moisture and a slight tang, helping the cake stay tender. Crème fraîche can be used for a richer, creamier texture.
Blueberries
Fresh or frozen blueberries are the star of the cake. Their sweetness and juiciness burst through the batter, providing flavor and moisture throughout the cake.
A Word on Frozen Berries: If you choose to use frozen blueberries, it’s important to keep them frozen until you’re ready to fold them into the batter.
This helps prevent the berries from releasing too much juice, which can make the batter too wet and affect the texture of the cake.
Frozen berries also hold their shape better during baking, giving the cake a beautiful burst of blueberry flavor without turning mushy.
Tips for Making the Perfect Blueberry Crumb Cake
1. Use Room Temperature Ingredients
Allow your eggs, butter, and dairy to sit out for 30 minutes to an hour before baking. This ensures everything combines smoothly, resulting in a tender, evenly baked cake.
2. Don’t Skip Sifting Your Dry Ingredients
Sifting helps eliminate lumps and promotes even mixing, giving your cake a smoother texture.
3. Line Your Pan with Tin Foil
Line your baking pan with tinfoil and grease it well. This makes it much easier to lift the cake out after baking. Create handles with the tinfoil for a simple way to remove the cake from the pan.
4. Cream Butter and Sugar Well
This crucial step should take about 5 minutes. Creaming aerates the butter, giving the cake structure. Avoid using high speeds—mixing on medium speed helps create a light, fluffy texture.
5. Alternate Adding Dry and Wet Ingredients
This method helps mix everything evenly, preventing the batter from becoming too dense. Overmixing can lead to a tough, dense cake.
6. Test for Doneness
Since this is a hefty cake, it takes a while to bake. Use a cake tester or toothpick to check doneness—look for a dry center, with a lightly browned crumb topping.
How to Store and Freeze Your Cake
This blueberry crumb cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge, where it will last for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions:
- Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in tin foil.
- To defrost, allow the cake to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
If you liked Blueberry Crumb Cake:
Healthy Wild Blueberry Buckle (something a bit lighter!)
Apple Spice Snacking Cake – Another favorite fruit-based cake!
Moist Low Sugar Blueberry Zucchini Bread – Another healthy bake that uses up those blueberries!
If you loved this Blueberry Crumb Cake, don’t forget to leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below! We’d love to hear from you—leave a comment to let us know how you enjoyed it!
Blueberry Crumb Cake
Equipment
- 8 x 8 metal pan,
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all purpose flour, spoon flour and level off (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use half if Morton's
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, substitute cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, approximately half a lemon
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature (substitute buttermilk)
- 2 cups (12 ounces or a pint) blueberries, fresh or frozen (see notes)
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (57 g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, leave out or sub extra cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, use the other half of the lemon
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted
Instructions
For the Cake Filling
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350℉. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with tinfoil and brush with butter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom (if using), and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest and mix for another 2–3 minutes.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla: Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients & Sour Cream: Gradually add half of the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape the bowl, then add the sour cream and the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until smooth and combined.
- Fold in Blueberries: Gently fold in ½ cup of the blueberries into the batter.
- Spread Batter in Pan: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly. Top with the remaining 1 ½ cups of blueberries.
For the Crumb Topping
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom (if using), and lemon zest.
- Add Butter: Stir in the melted butter until the mixture forms medium-to-large crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cake batter.
Bake the Cake
- Bake: Bake for 50–55 minutes until the cake is firm and the crumbs are golden brown. Insert a toothpick to check that it comes out clean.
- Cool & Serve: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift the cake out of the pan using the tinfoil as handles and cut into 16 slices.
- Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The cake can be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and tin foil.
Notes
- If you use frozen blueberries, don't defrost them prior to using. You may need to adjust the bake time slightly.
- Fluff Flour Before Measuring: If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour before spooning it into measuring cups.
- Cardamom Substitutes: If you don’t have cardamom or don’t like it, you can substitute with cinnamon or leave it out entirely.
