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Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

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This Blueberry Crumb Cake recipe is like a warm hug from a dear friend. Easy to assemble, moist, tastes like a giant blueberry muffin. Perfect coffee cake to make for brunch, plus gluten free option!

Blueberry crumb cake is perfect for a lazy weekend, holiday breakfast, Mother’s Day, Easter, tea party or any special brunch. Using fresh or frozen blueberries, this cake recipe is moist, delicious, the ideal coffee cake!

We love coffee cakes here! Try our Apple Double Crumb Cake, or our “You Can’t Mess It Up Coffee Cake” or this amazing Cinnamon Bundt Cake.

Blueberry Crumb Cake image on aqua tray with pretty serving spatula and spring napkin.

The Best Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

This deliciously moist coffee cake is studded with fresh or frozen blueberries, topped with a buttery brown sugar crumble.

And if desired, drizzled with a creamy vanilla glaze that hardens as it cools giving the cake the perfect crunchy/crisp to chewy/moist ratio. Dreamy!!

Blueberry Crumb Cake slice being pulled out with pie server.

Blueberry Cake and Friendship

I was reminded of this coffee cake when I was out in California with a group of long time girlfriends (since our early teens) this past weekend.

Oh my goodness, we  laughed, shared, cried, giggled, listened, reminisced, dreamt, prayed with and encouraged one another. The security of being with friends who really know YOU, your history, and your family is truly priceless.

Picture of all of the same friends back in the 80's, big hair and all.
Last time together | 1987 *Love the hair! L-R | Kathi (aka me), Julie, Lisa, Shawn, & Dawn

Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and my boys, but sometimes we need the understanding, empathy and support of another woman. I would shrivel up without my family and girlfriends.

Kathleen and Julie, back in late 70's with lake in background.
Circa 1979-ish | Kathi (me) & Julie

I was privileged to have grown up in the late 70’s and early 80’s with these girls in a unique situation that threw us together; all living on the same property with our families.

It was the best thing that could have happened to us during those tough adolescent years, we truly became sisters!

Kathi (the fresh cooky) and friend Dawn circa 1979
Rocking the late 70’s hair and fashion. Kathi (me) and Dawn | circa 1979
Close up of Blueberry Crumb Cake with frozen blackberries, raspberries and blueberries on top.

The older I get the more I realize the importance of these times with girlfriends who really know and love you, just as you are.

Be a Friend first

To be have a friend, one must BE a friend; give of yourself, even when you don’t have much to give.
Extend, risk and humble yourself to the beauty of authentic, real friendship.
Where truth can be told, in love; where you can see the good, the beauty, and even help heal deep wounds.
Through our vulnerability with one another we can encourage, hold up, and most especially pray for and with one another.

~ Kathleen

Friends who see through the extra pounds and wrinkles, to the sweet, kind, caring and vulnerable heart of that young girl that still lies somewhere beneath layers of now crepe-y skin; reminding you of the treasure you are to this world.

Five women in a photo, smiling, friend since teen years. Lis, Shawn, Kathleen, Dawn and Julie
L-R | (BR) Lisa, Shawn, Kathi (me) | (FR) Dawn, Julie

And so I encourage YOU my dear reader, to reach out to others; whether it’s re-kindling a friendship from long ago, making a new friend, or simply risking going deeper in a current friendship.

Don’t hesitate, jump in with your whole heart! You won’t regret it! I’m getting all emotional just writing this, so on to our Blueberry Cake Recipe!

“As iron sharpens iron, so one (wo)man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17

What you need for blueberry crumb coffee cake

In just minutes you will have a fresh delicious coffee cake that tastes just like a giant blueberry muffin!

CRUMB TOPPING INGREDIENTS

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE INGREDIENTS

  • All-purpose flour | I use organic all-purpose unbleached flour (Gluten Free flour may be substituted)
  • Granulated Sugar | I use natural, unbleached cane sugar
  • Baking powder | Gives the cake it’s rise
  • Kosher Salt | a must have in any recipe!
  • Butter | the real deal, no soft butter coming out of the fridge or blends.
  • Milk | I always use whole milk in my recipes
  • Egg | room temp if possible, large egg
  • Fresh* Blueberries | washed and patted dry, any stems removed. *Frozen blueberries may be used. If time, thaw and rain, toss in a few tablespoons of flour to help blueberries from bleeding.

Giant Blueberry Muffin Glaze Ingredients

How to make the best coffee cake

Step 1

  • Wash blueberries and let sit on paper towels to dry.
  • If frozen, remove from freezer and allow to thaw, if you totally spaced thawing, have no fear, you may just need to bake a little longer, but be sure to coat them in flour, see below.
fresh blueberries washed and drying

Step 2 | Make Crumb (Streusel) Topping

  • In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine your brown sugar, all natural cane sugar, all-purpose flour and cinnamon using a fork or mixer.
  • Add softened butter* and mix well, using your fingers if necessary, until the mixture starts to stick together into large clumps/crumbs.
  • It should hold together when pressed.
  • I like to use my mixer, it takes a bit longer, but I feel like the butter is better distributed in the long run. But you can always just use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix.
Glass mixing bowl with Red hand mixer mixing dough for streusel

Look at those bodacious, beautiful, buttery crumbs!

KATHLEEN’S PRO TIP | Place crumb topping in fridge or freezer while making the cake batter, this will chill the butter once again, so your crumb topping doesn’t melt into your cake while baking.

Step 3 | Assemble the Coffee Cake

  • In a large batter bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add all-purpose flour, all natural sugar, eggs, milk, butter, baking powder and salt.
  • I’ve made it both ways, with putting all of your dry ingredients first, then your butter, then your liquids and the end batter was the same, so whatever works best for you.
Process shot with butter, flour, egg, leavening and salt in mixing bowl for blueberry crumb cake.
  • Mix on low, until combined, careful not to over mix, there might even be a few lumps and it’ll be fairly thick, don’t worry.
Mixed batter for blueberry crumb cake in mixing bowl with beaters.
  • Gently fold the blueberries into the batter, if using frozen blueberries see below.

How to stop frozen blueberries from “bleeding”

  • When frozen blueberries thaw, it brings out all of the pigment that holds the color for these beautiful berries.
  • In order to keep that color from “bleeding” into your dough, before folding in frozen blueberries, gently toss blueberries in a couple tablespoons of flour in a large bow.
  • The flour helps absorb the color, but never fear, while it might make your cake purple, it’ll still taste terrific!

Below are two pictures, one of frozen (flour coated) blueberries and the other of fresh.

Glass mixing bowl with red spatula folding blueberries into blueberry cake dough.

Fresh berries going into the batter…

Folding fresh blueberries into a glass mixing bowl with blueberries on the counter, red spatula in bowl.

Step 4 | Baking the Blueberry Coffee Cake

  • Lightly grease a 9″ springform pan or a 9″ deep square pan if you don’t have a springform pan.
  • If desired for easier removal from pan, cut out a 9″ round (or square) of parchment, lightly spray with oil and place in bottom of pan.
  • Try splitting the batter into two smaller 6″ springform pans in order to get two cakes from one prep! Freeze one or give one away. 
Holding two smaller Blueberry Crumble Cakes in 6" springform pans

Blueberry Coffee Cake Pan Options

  • Substitute a deep 9″ square or round pan, spray well with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.
  • Or use an 8″ springform pan, increasing baking time by 10 minutes or more.
  • Or a 10″ springform (reduce bake time by 10 minutes or so).
  • Split batter between 2 smaller pans, such as 2 – 6″ springform pans. Bake 30-40 minutes, putting foil on top if gets too brown. Freeze one for later or give one away to a neighbor and make their day!
Blueberry Crumb Cake in spring form pan ready to go into oven with mixing bowl and sheet pan in background.
Blueberry cake mixture that used frozen berries that "bled" so batter now is more purple than dough colored in a silver spring form pan.
Oops, see bleeding blueberries!!
  • Crumble the crumb topping evenly over the top of the cake batter, leaving some larger chunks and some smaller so you have a traditional “crumble” topping. 
  • Pop it in preheated 375º oven and bake it for 50-65 minutes until the top is golden and the center is cooked. If it starts getting too brown on top but isn’t done, carefully lay a piece of foil over the top.

Tips

  • DO NOT OVERBAKE – Coffee cakes should be moist, so don’t over bake the cake, however; you don’t want it soupy either. At minimum time, stick toothpick in middle, it should come out clean.
  • COOL – If you are using the glaze, be sure to cool 10 minutes before pouring on the glaze, if not it will completely melt into the blueberry crumb coffee cake.
  • FROZEN BLUEBERRIES? – If using frozen berries, toss in a couple tablespoons of flour before folding into the batter.
  • EASY REMOVAL | For easier removal from springform pan, run a butter knife around the edges, then open pan and gently pull away from cake.

top down shot of Blueberry Crumb Cake on pretty platter with brightly colored napkin behind.

How to Store Blueberry Coffee Cake

Store in fridge — good up to about a week, if it lasts that long. Or may be tightly wrapped and frozen.

Warm in microwave for a few seconds before devouring.

blueberry crumble cake facebook shot side view with frozen berries on top of cake.

Substitutions

Not a blueberry fan? Substitute the same amount of fresh or frozen berries or even rhubarb (but paired with a sweeter berry)!

  • Strawberries (sliced)
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries
  • Cherries or a mixture of the above

High Altitude Adjustments

No adjustments necessary for high altitude.

Gluten Free Blueberry Coffee Cake

I love when you can easily adapt a recipe to be gluten free! And this is a super easy one to adapt!

  1. Replace all-purpose flour with a good cup for cup GF All Purpose Flour OR
  2. I tested with 1 cup GF All Purpose Flour, 1/2 cup GF Oat Flour and 1/2 Cup Almond Flour.
  3. Reduce baking powder to 2 teaspoons
  4. In crumb topping replace with half oat flour and half GF Ap Flour
  5. Bake as directed!

This recipe is adapted from Cookies & Cups.

Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and comment below the recipe!

Blueberry Crumb Cake image on aqua tray with pretty serving spatula and spring napkin.

Blueberry Crumble Cake + Gluten Free

Author: Kathleen Pope
4.58 from 7 votes
This deliciously moist coffee cake is studded with fresh (or formerly frozen) blueberries, topped with a brown sugar crumble, then drizzled with a creamy vanilla glaze that hardens as it cools giving the cake the perfect crunch/crisp to chewy/moist ratio. Dreamy!!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Breakfast Sweets
Cuisine American
Servings 8 -12 slices
Calories 507 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

CRUMB TOPPING

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, I use all natural cane sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, Plus 3 tablespoons. *See notes for Gluten Free
  • 1/3 cup butter, Plus 2 tablespoons. No substitutions, room temp

CAKE

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, I like unbleached *see notes for Gluten free
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, I use natural, unbleached, cane sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temp (I use salted. If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon)
  • 3/4 cup milk, I use whole milk
  • 1 large egg, room temp if possible
  • 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen*. Washed and patted dry, any stems removed

GLAZE

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375° and spray 9″ springform pan with nonstick spray and if desired, cut out a piece of parchment paper for easier transfer to serving dish.

CRUMB TOPPING

  • In medium bowl combine all crumb dry ingredients and stir. Cut butter into smaller chunks and mix with mixer until combined or using fingers or pastry cutter mix until butter is combined and you can squeeze together to form clumps. Place mixture in fridge until ready to use.

CAKE

  • In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Add softened butter, in chunks, milk and egg.
  • Using a mixer, mix until mostly smooth and combined. Batter will be thick, if too thick, add additional 1/4 cup milk. Gently fold in washed/dried blueberries into the batter.
  • Pour into prepared 9″ springform pan (see options in notes). Remove crumble from fridge and crumble on top of coffee cake batter, larger marble sized chunks. Bake 50-65 minutes until top is golden and center is firm, toothpick may or may not come out clean. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Then glaze.

GLAZE

  • Prepare glaze while cake is cooling. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk/cream until smooth and pourable consistency.
  • Pour over top of warm cake for glaze that hardens and melts into cake, or if preferred, wait until cake is cooled completely then pour glaze over.*Glaze is pretty, but can definitely be left off the cake.
  • To serve, using a butter knife, gently run around the edge of the cuff of the springform. Open springform and gently lift off. If you used a piece of parchment, slide a flat spatula or large knife under and carefully slide off springform bottom onto plate or serving dish. Serve cooled or warm, may favorite!

✱ Kathleen’s Tips

GLUTEN FREE BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE
* If using frozen blueberries: thaw and drain, toss gently in a couple tablespoons of flour to coat, that will help the blueberries to not bleed as much.
For Crumb topping: replace with GF AP Flour (or split with part AP and part oat flour)
For Cake: Replace flour with Gluten Free Cup for Cup All Purpose Flour or with 1 cup GF AP Flour, 1/2 cup oat flour and 1/2 cup almond flour. Reduce baking powder 2 teaspoons
Always use real butter for baking, no spreads or blends. I use salted and unsalted butters interchangeably, just decrease salt slightly in your recipe if using salted.
Substitute any other berries; strawberries (sliced), blackberries, raspberries are all delicious. Substitute equal amounts of fresh or frozen.
BAKING PAN OPTIONS
  • Substitute a deep 9″ square or round pan.
  • Or use an 8″springform pan, increasing baking time by 10 minutes or more.
  • Or a 10″ springform (reduce bake time by 10 minutes or so).
  • Split batter between 2 smaller pans, such as 2 – 6″ springform pans. Bake 30-40 minutes, putting foil on top if gets too brown. Freeze one for later.
This recipe was adapted from Cookies & Cups Blueberry Muffin Cake

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 507 kcal Carbohydrates: 88 g Protein: 6 g Fat: 15 g Saturated Fat: 9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 62 mg Sodium: 482 mg Potassium: 141 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 58 g Vitamin A: 510 IU Vitamin C: 4 mg Calcium: 133 mg Iron: 2 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Breakfast Pastries and Coffee Cakes

Kathleen Pope, The Fresh Cooky.

About Kathleen Pope

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.

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12 Comments

  1. Re: cake ingredients . Stated 1/4 cup of salted butter or 1/4 unsalted plus 1 tsp. salt perhaps is an incorrect equivalent . I believe it should only be 1/8 tsp. salt . Can you verify this?😊

    1. Hi Carol, thank you! I just amended the recipe to make it a bit more clear; 
      1/4 cup butter, room temp + ¾ teaspoon salt. If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon (increasing by ¼ teaspoon) which is my preference, but if you want to increase by just 1/8 of a teaspoon that should still be just fine. 
      Hope that makes sense. You can of course always reduce salt to your liking, I personally think a bit more salt in baked goods enhances the flavors tremendously, but that’s my taste! Happy baking! Kathleen 

  2. 5 stars
    This coffee cake has become a family favorite and a frequent request from all who have had it! It is simply incredible!! My husband requested this for his birthday “cake”!