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Everyone needs a blueberry coffee cake in their life. Whether it’s a weekend treat for friends and family or a baked good to take to a brunch, this recipe for a classic version of blueberry coffee cake is a keeper!

A coffee cake is really a dessert masquerading as a breakfast item. The difference between the two is the flavors: one is usually savory and the other is sweet. Since a blueberry coffee cake does not have an overabundance of ingredients, each one matters tremendously. The flavor comes together from the butter, vanilla extract, blueberries, and the streusel topping.

Top down view of blueberry coffee cake sitting in white baking dish with slice taken out sitting on white plate along with coffee cups filled with coffee
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Blueberry Coffee Cake Ingredients

  • Flour is what binds everything together and provides the structure for this cake. I use all-purpose flour.
  • Sugar sweetens this cake, but what’s great is that there is not an overabundance of sugar added. It’s just enough granulated sugar to add sweetness without being overpowering.
  • Baking powder gives both texture and rise to the cake.
  • Milk is the main liquid and, if possible, I always use whole milk. Whole milk has the most flavor and richness. And since there is a small number of ingredients in this coffee cake, each ingredient’s flavor component is important!
  • Butter is used as a liquid in this recipe since it’s added in a melted state. The butter offers a rich texture, but also lends so much incredible flavor.
  • Lemon zest is a major player. Even though not much is used, the zest intensifies the flavor of the blueberries and adds a little pop of citrus.
  • Blueberries are obviously the main attraction. I often use frozen blueberries since they are always full of flavor. If using frozen, do not thaw them. Simply fold them in frozen. As an alternative, fresh blueberries can also be used.
  • Brown sugar is used in the streusel for a caramel-like flavor.
  • Cinnamon is also added to the streusel for a hint of warm spice to complement the blueberry and give more of a traditional coffee cake flavor.
Top down view of piece of blueberry coffee cake with crisp topping sitting on white plate with a fork
The streusel on top of this coffee cake is one of the best parts! With a sweet crispness, it’s a delicious part of each bite.

The great part of this recipe is the fact that it’s easy enough to mix completely by hand! The main ingredients can be combined with a mixer, and then the blueberries can be folded in with a spatula. The batter will be stiff, but the result once baked is a perfectly soft cake full of blueberries!

White plate with piece of blueberry coffee cake sitting on white plate with fork and rest of coffee cake in background

More Coffee Cakes

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Classic Blueberry Coffee Cake

4.42 from 46 votes
Is there anything better than a classic recipe that works out each and every time? This blueberry coffee cake is one of those recipes. It's simple, easy to put together, and has loads of blueberry flavors. All of this means that it's a classic and a keeper!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
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Ingredients

For the coffee cake

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

For the streusel topping

  • 4 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter cold, cut into ½-inch pieces

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish and set it aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and add the milk, eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and lemon zest. Whisk to break up the egg yolks and combine the wet and dry ingredients. Whisk until combined, leaving only a few dry pieces. The batter will be stiff.
    2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, ⅔ cup whole milk, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 6 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tsp lemon zest
  • Once combined, fold in the blueberries to evenly incorporate into the batter. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
    2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix with fingers and add small pieces of butter. Work the pieces of butter between thumb and fingers until the streusel resembles a coarse meal.
    4 tbsp light brown sugar, 4 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Evenly spread the streusel over the prepared coffee cake batter. Bake in the preheated oven until the streusel is browned and the cake is domed. A skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out mostly clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Video

Youtube video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 287 kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment below!

Kaleb Wyse is a New York Times bestselling author behind the popular Wyse Guide website. Living on his fourth-generation Iowa farm, he loves sharing recipes and gardening tips that come from traditions that feel comfortably familiar. His down-to-earth style makes sustainable living and farm life feel like home!

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4.42 from 46 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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21 Comments

  1. Jessica Westcott says:

    5 stars
    Made this this morning as soon as I watched the video as I never have whole milk on hand and happened to today and I had blueberries that were not eaten from this week! It looks so delicious- as all your recipes do! Thanks for another wonderful recipe:)

  2. Lyanna Irvine says:

    My coffee cake took longer than 45 minutes. It took 60. Could I have done something wrong🤷‍♀️

  3. Jenay says:

    GREAT coffee cake!! My mom is 84 and she loves it! You weren’t kidding about the stiff batter. We were using too small of a spatula and broke the handle off!! We DO get to go spatula shopping so it’s that’s double the fun. Thanks for the great recipe!

  4. Beth says:

    Can Grandma’s blueberry coffee cake be made as muffins? Looks so yummy.

  5. Penelope says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is awesome! I even veganized it for my daughter using Miyoko’s butter and soy milk. Came out tender and delish!

  6. Susan says:

    Hi kaleb!
    I discovered you right before the holidays! I love love love watching you and your recipes! I have to thank you so much for getting me through Thanksgiving and Christmas with your fabulous recipes and videos. So grateful for you!
    Susan

  7. Janet Fleming says:

    5 stars
    AH MAZING! Just enjoyed several pieces with black coffee and orange slices. The cake is suprisingly light considering how thick the batter is. Excellent crumb and texture. I used frozen berries and they worked perfectly. My lemon rind was on the “well aged” side and very dry. So, I added a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the cake and give the berries a playmate! This is a great “keeper” recipe. My husband asked me to please make it again! As usual, BRAVO!👏🏻

  8. Susann Rehbock-Wallace says:

    5 stars
    I made it as soon as I watched it. So very good! Substituted buttermilk for the milk. Handpicked blueberries last summer.
    Thanks Kaleb!

  9. Marie says:

    5 stars
    Yummy.

  10. Sherrie says:

    I love watching your cooking videos- you are so sweet and kind – you make us laugh- keep up the good work. Bless you