Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake (Printable View)
Moist cake bursting with blueberries and lemon, topped with buttery crumb streusel.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (can use frozen, unthawed)
→ Streusel Topping
13 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
16 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - Pinch of salt
→ Lemon Glaze (optional)
18 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
19 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Incorporate lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until combined.
04 - Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently. Mix in sour cream, then add remaining dry ingredients. Stir just until blended; avoid overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter to avoid crushing.
06 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
07 - Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Cut in cold, cubed butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.
08 - Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. If desired, whisk powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice and drizzle over the cooled cake before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in one bowl with simple pantry staples, no special equipment needed.
- The lemon cuts through the richness in a way that makes you want another slice before the first is even finished.
- Frozen or fresh blueberries work equally well, so you can make this any time of year without feeling like you're settling.
02 -
- Don't thaw frozen blueberries no matter how convenient it seems; they'll bleed into the batter and turn it an unappetizing gray.
- The lemon juice in the batter reacts with the baking soda to brighten the flavor and lighten the crumb, so it's doing more work than you realize.
- Overmixing is the enemy here; stir gently and stop as soon as you see no white flour streaks, even if it feels less thorough than your instinct says.
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients cream together more smoothly and incorporate more air, giving you a lighter, more tender cake overall.
- Zest your lemons before juicing them; the juice softens the skin and makes zesting much harder afterward.