Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake

This blueberry buttermilk coffee cake bakes up with a tender, plush crumb and is absolutely bursting with blueberries.

The buttery streusel on top gives each bite a perfect bit of crunch, and it is an absolute crowd favorite!

How to Make This Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake

To make sure this recipe turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together! Below is a video along with step-by-step pictures.

Step 1: Make the Streusel Topping

Whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp fine salt in a medium-sized bowl.

Add 6 Tbsp or 3/4 of a stick of unsalted butter that’s been melted and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes into the mixture. Use a fork to gently fold the mixture.

The goal is to gently incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients while leaving some big chunks intact.

Be careful not to overmix it! Mix just until the flour is fully incorporated. Refrigerate the mixture until you’re ready to use it.

Step 2: Make the Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake Batter

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. You can also use a 9-inch pan, just shorten the bake time by 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp fine salt.

This recipe uses the reverse crumb method to give it a really tender crumb, so we mix the butter right into the dry ingredients.

Add 1/2 cup or 1 stick of unsalted butter into the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer until fully combined. The mixture should look like moist sand.

Then add 1/2 cup of buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 tsp lemon zest (zest of a small lemon) into the mixture.

Mix on a medium speed until the ingredients are fully combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is properly combined.

The batter should be pretty thick.

Fold 2 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen (but not defrosted) berries into the batter until they’re evenly distributed. If you use frozen berries, stir as little as possible to prevent coloring the coffee cake batter blue-ish gray.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.

Step 3: Bake the Blueberry Coffee Cake

Remove the streusel from the fridge and sprinkle it evenly over the batter.

Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 45-55 minutes (add 5-10 minutes if you use frozen blueberries), or until the streusel is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes, then slice and serve straight from the pan.

Substitutions and Swaps: Blueberry Coffee Cake

This recipe uses quite a few ingredients, and I know you might not have them all on hand.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

• Flour: All-purpose works best, but a gluten-free blend or cake flour can be used. If you want to use self-rising cake flour, omit the baking powder and salt.
• Sugar: You can use all granulated or all brown sugar, but the texture will vary slightly.
• Butter: Salted butter is fine—just omit the added salt. Vegan butter works too.
• Oil: Any neutral oil, like canola or sunflower, is great.
• Blueberries: Use fresh in season or frozen (do not thaw) when out of season.

Making This Coffee Cake in Different-Sized Pans

This recipe makes an 8×8-inch coffee cake, which I like to cut into 16 squares. It can also be made in a 9×9-inch pan, but the bake time will be a few minutes faster.

If you want to make this recipe with a 9×13-inch pan, double the recipe and bake it at 350°F/175°C for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Or if you want to make it a loaf pan, you can half the recipe and bake it at 350°F/175°C for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

This recipe can also be used to make blueberry coffee cake muffins. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and top with a sprinkle of streusel. Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 20-23 minutes (bake time will vary based on the size of your liners & pan).

Can I Make This Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake in Advance?

I always say fresh is best! This coffee cake tastes best the day it’s made.

However, leftovers do keep well and can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for 5 days.

The streusel can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tips for Making the Best Blueberry Coffee Cake

• Line the pan with parchment paper so that you can easily remove the coffee cake once it’s baked without messing up the streusel topping.
• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time (unless otherwise specified).

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this blueberry buttermilk coffee cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Let me know by leaving a rating and comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets use #chelsweets if you share on social media, so that I can see your delicious creations.

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