Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake (Printable version)
Moist cake with fresh blueberries and lemon, topped with a buttery crumble. Tangy, sweet, and perfectly balanced.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crumble Topping
01 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
→ Cake Batter
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
11 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
14 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
17 - 1 cup fresh blueberries, tossed with 1 teaspoon flour if using frozen
→ Glaze
18 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
19 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
02 - In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add cold butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to rub until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
04 - In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by the sour cream, then the remaining flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
06 - Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the batter.
08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for at least 20 minutes. For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled cake if desired.
10 - Slice and serve.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The crumb topping develops this incredible buttery crust that shatters just slightly when your fork breaks through it, creating the most satisfying contrast to the tender cake beneath.
- Its the perfect excuse to eat something that feels special for breakfast without being cloyingly sweet, and somehow tastes even better the next day with your morning coffee.
02 -
- If you toss your blueberries in a tiny bit of the dry flour mixture before folding them in, theyll distribute evenly throughout the batter instead of sinking to the bottom during baking.
- The cake needs to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing or youll end up with a crumbly mess, as I discovered when impatience got the better of me the first time I made it.
03 -
- When zesting your lemons, press lightly and only take the yellow outer layer, as the white pith underneath is bitter and will affect the bright flavor youre aiming for.
- Let your eggs, butter, and sour cream come to room temperature before beginning, which allows them to incorporate more air when beaten, resulting in a noticeably lighter texture.