This Blueberry Crumb Cake is the ultimate summer comfort food. Use it as a decadent dessert, breakfast coffee cake or a sweet snack.
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Why this Blueberry Crumb Cake Recipe is a Keeper
This tender blueberry coffee cake topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping that is truly remarkable. While blueberry crumb cake is a classic breakfast or brunch treat, its versatility knows no bounds. Enjoy it as an afternoon pick-me-up, a delightful dessert after dinner, or even a special treat for a potluck or bake sale.
- Ease of Preparation: Super easy to make!
- Easy Ingredients: All ingredients are very common!
- Family Friendly: A tasteful dessert that the whole family can enjoy.
- Adaptable: Ingredient levels can be added or subtracted based on preference of spices!
If you’re looking for more blueberry recipes, try these Lemon Blueberry Loaf, Blueberry Cherry Dump Cake, and Blueberry Syrup.
Is blueberry crumb cake sweet or tart?
The short answer is that it should be both. The sweetness of the cake and crumb topping helps to balance out the tartness of the blueberries. A well-balanced blueberry crumb cake will have a pleasant sweetness that complements the blueberry flavor without being overpowering.
Ingredient Notes for New York Crumb Cake
I love this cake recipe because it is truly summer in a cake. I’ve make this cake every summer since I was a kid with my family as we have our own patch of blueberry bushes.
- Blueberries: I use fresh when I can but good quality frozen berries are great in this blueberry buckle coffee cake.
- Buttermilk: It provides the acid to make the cake both tender and creamy. It creates the best blueberry crumb cake.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions to Make this Recipe
This cake is tender and moist and the crumble topping adds that satisfying crunch to the cake.
- Use Frozen Blueberries: Make the blueberry cake with frozen blueberries if fresh is not available. Fresh or frozen berries can flavor this recipe.
- Blueberry Muffins: Make the cake into a muffin or even a mini muffin that are perfect for brunch.
- Nuts: Try using some almonds or other nuts in the crumb topping.
- Lemon zest: Add some lemon zest or lemon juice for this recipe. It will become a delicious blueberry lemon cake.
- Sour Cream: Use sour cream or yogurt in place of the buttermilk for this great recipe.
Special Equipment Needed for the Blueberry Streusel Cake
- Sifter: This makes sure that the ingredients are well incorporated and the cake will be lighter and fluffier.
Blueberry Coffee Cake Pro Tip
Toss the blueberries in a little bit of flour before folding them into the batter. The flour will create a barrier around the berries, preventing them from sinking as much.
How to Make Blueberry Crumb Cake
These are the basic steps for making the Ultimate Blueberry Crumb Cake. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions for this classic blueberry dessert.
1. Prepare your Ingredients
First, preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter and flour (or cooking spray) a 9×9 baking dish. Then in a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar and shortening.
2: Mix the Cake Batter
Stir in vanilla, egg and milk until combined. Next, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and then add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
3: Fold in the Blueberries
Gently fold in the blueberries. Pour batter into prepared 9×9 cake pan.
4. Bake the Cake & Make the Crumb Topping
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and room temperature butter and blend together. Finally, sprinkle on the cinnamon mixture and bake 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Lemon Blueberry Crumb Cake Recipe FAQs
Of course, you can use strawberries, blackberries or raspberries or even a combination of all of these berries.
While cake flour produces a light and fluffy cake, there is no need to use it in this cake. Simply make sure that you sift the ingredients well for the best blueberry cake.
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The choices are endless, try whipped cream, ice cream or an easy lemon glaze for the top of the cake.
Expert Tips for Making This Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping Recipe
- Patience is Key!: When baking is complete, let it cool before consuming or freezing the leftover coffee cake.
- Quality Matters: Incorporating high quality ingredients makes a huge difference!
- Double Check Measurements: Double check the quantity of each ingredient before inserted. Failure to use proper measurements can change the consistency of the batter and make the baking difficult.
- Alternate Berries: Cherries, cranberries and blackberries are all wonderful ideas for substitutions if you are not a big fan of blueberries.
- Level Off Your Ingredients: When measuring out ingredients, level them off with a knife for accurate results.
- It Pays to Glaze: If you’re looking to top off this recipe with just a little something extra, lightly drizzle vanilla glaze made with powdered sugar and vanilla extract over the top! Try adding a little lemon zest.
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Blueberry Crumb Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Shortening
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ½ cup Buttermilk
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Blueberries , cleaned
Topping
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- ½ cup Flour
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ cup Butter , softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter and flour a 9×9 baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and shortening.
- Stir in vanilla, egg and milk until combined.
- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter.
- Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Pour batter into prepared 9×9 baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter.
- Blend together with a fork until all of the ingredients are crumbly.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over top of the cake batter.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Christina’s Notes
- Patience is Key!: When baking is complete, let it cool before consuming or freezing.
- Quality Matters: Incorporating high quality ingredients makes a huge difference!
- Double Check Measurements: Double check the quantity of each ingredient before inserted. Failure to use proper measurements can change the consistency of the batter and make the baking difficult.
- Alternate Berries: Cherries, cranberries and blackberries are all wonderful ideas for substitutions if you are not a big fan of blueberries.
- Level Off Your Ingredients: When measuring out ingredients, level them off with a knife for accurate results.
- It Pays to Glaze: If you’re looking to top off this recipe with just a little something extra, lightly drizzle vanilla glaze over the top!
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Yum! This will be delicious on the Christmas morning brunch table!
Delicious, perfect texture, and easy! I will be making this again and again!
This blueberry coffee cake was perfect for brunch. Thanks! So yummy.