This blueberry coffee cake is the kind of thing I like baking when I want a simple cake that works for breakfast or a snack. It has a soft sour cream cake base, lots of blueberries, and a crumbly streusel on top. Then there’s a light cream cheese glaze that gets drizzled over the cake once it cools. It’s easy to make and the layers make every bite a little different.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This blueberry coffee cake is great because it has a soft cake base and a buttery crumb topping all in one. The sour cream keeps the cake moist and the blueberries add little bursts of fruit throughout the cake. Another reason this blueberry coffee cake works so well is the streusel topping, which adds a crumbly texture on top. The cream cheese glaze finishes the cake with a little sweetness without making it too heavy.

What You Will Need

You will need all-purpose flour, which forms the base of both the cake and the streusel topping.

Granulated sugar and brown sugar add sweetness, while the brown sugar also helps give the streusel a deeper flavor.

Unsalted butter is used in both the streusel and the cake. It adds richness and helps create that crumbly topping texture.

For the fruit layer you will use blueberries, and tossing them with a little flour helps keep them from sinking in the batter.

The cake batter also uses vegetable oil, which helps keep the cake soft and moist. Eggs help bind the batter together and give structure.

Sour cream is an important ingredient because it keeps the cake tender and moist while adding a slight richness.

A little vanilla extract adds extra flavor to the cake.

To help the cake rise you’ll use baking powder and baking soda, while salt balances the sweetness and cinnamon adds a light warm flavor.

For the glaze you will mix cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and milk to create a smooth icing that gets drizzled over the cooled cake.

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Ingredients

Streusel

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (127 grams)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (63 grams)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (73 grams)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113 grams)

Blueberries

• 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (285 grams)
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour

Coffee Cake

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (85 grams)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 ml)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream (245 grams)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (254 grams)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Glaze

• 1/4 cup cream cheese at room temperature (56 grams)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (14 grams)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (31 grams)
• 1–3 tbsp milk

How to Make Blueberry Coffee Cake

Start by making the streusel. In a bowl mix the flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the butter cut into small cubes and use a fork to mix everything together until it forms a crumbly mixture. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter.

In another bowl toss the blueberries with the flour and set them aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it with oil or butter.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Mix in the sour cream until smooth.

Add the flour mixture and mix just until the batter comes together. It helps to finish mixing with a spatula so the batter isn’t overmixed.

Spread about one third of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Take the remaining batter and gently mix in half of the blueberries.

Spread this batter into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the batter.

Take the chilled streusel and crumble it over the top of the cake. If it has clumped together, break it apart with your fingers before adding it.

Bake for 55–65 minutes. If the topping begins to brown too much before the cake is done, loosely cover the pan with foil.

The cake is ready when the center feels set and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour before adding the glaze.

Glaze

In a bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth.

If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk until it reaches a consistency that can be drizzled.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake before serving.

How to Store

Store the cake without glaze in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

If the cake has been glazed, it should be stored in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese.

The cake can also be frozen for 1–2 months. Wrap it tightly and thaw in the refrigerator before bringing it to room temperature to serve.