Blueberry breakfast cake, coffee cake, blueberry buckle, whatever you want to call it, it’s overflowing with fresh blueberries and absolutely delicious. As I’ve said before and will always say again, I love having the addition of a little sweet treat to accompany my morning coffee.
It’s not an everyday thing, but when I do whip up a cake, roll or bun it makes breakfast seem so much better! It’s like when my kids ask for these gooey, soft homemade cinnamon rolls, it’s now between those and this blueberry breakfast cake I’m getting requests left and right for!
Why this recipe works
This recipe would be good with other fruits too, such as raspberries, sour cherries, blackberries, or cranberries in the fall. So no matter what fruit you decide on, definitely add this blueberry breakfast cake to your “to do” list!
If you decide to use cherries, add in a bit of almond extract. If using cranberries, I would add a few fall spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. If you use a tangy fruit like sour cherries or cranberries, you might want to add the glaze for added sweetness.
The crumb topping really is enough for this, but you can certainly add a pretty white drizzle on top. Either way, this coffee cake is amazing!
Important Tips Before Making Blueberry Breakfast Cake
There have been a few people that have said this recipe did not work for them. Without being in their kitchen with them, I can’t say specifically what went wrong, but I can definitely offer some suggestions here.
The number of people that have made this recipe with success, including myself on several occasions, far outweighs those that had trouble, so maybe we can pinpoint and address some of the things that may have caused problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
This mixture of ingredients does, in fact, form a very thick and sticky batter. So thick that some might think the measurements were wrong and may have added more butter or milk. I actually finish mixing this batter with my hands to incorporate the last of the flour! Yes, it’s that thick.
Please do not be tempted to adjust the ingredients. Patience is important here, take your time and mix until done then fold in the blueberries. That may take a little persuasion as well.
I think this is a common issue in the kitchen. Softened butter simply means it’s not rock hard from the refrigerator and should be soft enough for your finger to cause a slight indent. Your finger should NOT sink into the butter, that’s too soft.
When butter gets too soft, or worse is actually melted, it changes the chemical reaction that takes place when mixed with other ingredients. My suggestion is to remove the butter from the fridge first, then measure out all of your other ingredients, preheat the oven and grease your pan.
When you get to the step of adding the butter, cut it into small pieces and mix it in. Use your hands if you need to.
it’s so important to measure flour properly using the “scoop and sweep” method. Plunging a measuring cup into a bag of flour and lifting it out in one fell swoop will give you more flour than if measuring correctly.
In fact, I did a test and found that the difference for one cup of flour was half an ounce. That might not sound like a lot to you, but one properly measured cup of flour weighs approximately 4.5 ounces.
Two cups of improperly measured flour will yield an extra 1/4 cup of flour. That’s a considerable amount where baking is concerned, especially with a recipe like this that has such a thick batter already.
Scoop and Sweep – Place your measuring cup onto a piece of waxed paper. Stir the flour to aerate it and make it fluffy. “Scoop” flour out with a spoon and drop it into the measuring cup until the cup is overflowing. Use the flat edge of a knife or icing spatula to “sweep” the excess flour off the top leaving a perfectly level cup of flour.
This is the scoop and sweep method. By the way, the waxed paper is there to catch the extra flour so you can easily put it back into the bag. If you are still unsure, here’s a quick video and explanation of how to properly measure flour.
Glass vs metal pan – The photos in this post show that this cake was baked in a glass dish. The first time I made it I used a metal pan. Both will work, but glass takes longer to heat up, then when it does it gets very hot.
Metal pans are more consistent and I think they are much better for baking evenly. That said, I have successfully baked this in a glass pan.
Yes you can freeze this cake! First be sure that the cake has cooled completely. Wrapping the cake when it’s still warm can cause condensation. Next, wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. To defrost, remove layers of aluminum foil and plastic wrap, and stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
I think that covers the questions that people have had. If you have any others, please leave them in the comments so I can address them!
Ingredients you will need
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (approximately 9 ounces)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened (NOT melted)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
For the topping:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (I used ground hazelnuts I had in the freezer)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
For the glaze: (optional)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of milk (more or less to get to a drizzling consistency)
For glaze, combine the powdered sugar and milk. If too thick, add a few drops of additional milk at a time until it reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzles over the top of the cake and allow to sit until sugar solidifies.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray or grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut butter into small pieces. Add egg, milk, butter and lemon peel; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- You may need to finish mixing with your hands to get all the flour incorporated. the batter will be very thick.
- Fold in the blueberries. Because the batter is so thick, this may take a few minutes. Spread into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.
- For topping, combine sugar, flour, walnuts and cinnamon in a mini food processor or bowl. Add butter and process, or cut in if doing by hand, until mixture is crumbly.
- I like to do this with my fingers so I can tell when it’s ready by touch. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done.
Note: I made mine the night before, covered it with foil and we enjoyed it the next morning, but this would make a great snack cake or dessert cake as well. Perfect!
I hope you all enjoy this absolutely satisfying blueberry breakfast cake! Do you love blueberries as much as I do? If so, you may want to check out this One-Pan, No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake, YUM!
If you want something a little more “grab-n-go” try these Blueberry Breakfast Bars from All Day I Dream About Food.
Or how about this to die for Blueberry Cobbler, bursting at the seams with fresh blueberries! Blueberry fans will swoon over this decadent Blueberry Lush dessert! Or for other amazing fruity breakfast delights check out this Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake, and last but certainly not least this delicious Raspberry Coffee Cake. Enjoy!
I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!
Blueberry Breakfast Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour approximately 9 ounces
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine softened (NOT melted)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
For the topping:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup walnuts finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
For the drizzle: (optional)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk more or less to get to a drizzling consistency
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray or grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut butter into small pieces. Add egg, milk, butter and lemon peel; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. You may need to finish mixing with your hands to get all the flour incorporated. the batter will be very thick.
- Fold in the blueberries. Because the batter is so thick, this may take a few minutes. Spread into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.
- For topping, combine sugar, flour, walnuts and cinnamon in a mini food processor or bowl. Add butter and process, or cut in if doing by hand, until mixture is crumbly. I like to do this with my fingers so I can tell when it’s ready by touch. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done.
- For drizzle, combine the powdered sugar and milk. If too thick, add a few drops of additional milk at a time until it reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzles over the top of the cake and allow to sit until sugar solidifies.
Video
Expert Tips & FAQs
Nutrition
This post was originally published on this blog on Jul 23, 2010.
Amanda Formaro
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Cindy says
Cake needs a little more lemon flavor so I may add more zest next time or some of the juice. We loved it though 👍
Danijela says
This cake was delish!
Sherri Gamble says
Amazing recipe! Came out delicious and moist! I made it for the first time today and since we are in the beginning of blueberry season in Maine, it was a perfect breakfast.
Janet says
Would I mix the blueberries in frozen or thawed?
Amanda Formaro says
Frozen
Rose says
Since reading how thick batter will be , I used a danish dough whisk to incorporate and it blended so well! Didn’t hv to use my fingers. But that’s me. I love to hv all those gadgets! Can’t wait to try it and so will my guest!
Cheryl Martin says
I made this cake tonight and it was delicious! I did not bake as long because when I tested the doneness, it was done after about 25 minutes! Will definitely make this again!!
KT says
I made this today. After putting it in the oven I noticed the recipe does not have either salt or vanilla. It would be significantly better with these additions. Thanks anyway!
Letisha Caldwell says
My granddaughter made this and it was delicious so I got the recipe and tried it. My cake was a bit dry. Don’t know if it was overmixed ,overbaked,or if butter was to soft. Good flavor but too dry
Janice says
Can I substitute buttermilk for the milk?
Amanda Formaro says
I have not tested this recipe with buttermilk. This is some info I found:
“Buttermilk (fermented milk) brings a rich flavor to baked goods without adding fat. … Tip: To substitute buttermilk for milk in a recipe, use 2 teaspoons less baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon more baking soda than called for in the recipe for every cup of buttermilk used.”
Glynnette Scott says
My question is … Do you think I could substitute Stevia for the sugar & it turn out just as good??My son enjoys Blueberries but doesn’t eat sugar so this looks like the perfect recipe minus sugar.
Btw I do enjoy your many recipes,😊
Amanda Formaro says
I haven’t tried it with Stevia, but Stevia can be substituted in many baked recipes 1:1. If you decide to try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Crystal says
When do I put the Drizzel on? After its baked and cooled?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes
Shannon says
Can this be prepared the night before, put in the fridge, and then cooked in the morning?
Amanda Formaro says
I have not tried that, but if I did I think I would not add the blueberries. Mix up the batter in a bowl and cover, then refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temp for 20 minutes then stir in the blueberries, add to pan and bake. AGAIN I have not tried this, but this is how I would do it!
Alina Voytsekhovska says
amazin
The Galaxy Baker says
This was DELICIOUS!! It’s so moist and pretty easy! I didn’t have nuts so I substituted it with crumbled up oatmeal raisin cookies! I will definitely make this again! Thank you!
Steve says
I really like how easy the recipe is and appreciate the tips during the process (the heads up about how thick the batter is was very helpful). I found the finished cake to be a little flat in flavor and realized there’s no salt in the batter at all. If I made it again I’d make that adjustment.
Michelle K. Gosnell says
Thank you! A delicious cake. For a dessert cake I sometimes drizzle a lemon glaze over the blueberry crumb cake. I think it just makes the blueberries pop with so much flavor… and my mother in law LOVED lemons.
Darlene MacMullin says
Can I omit the nuts in the topping or substitute it.
Amanda Formaro says
Yes you can just leave them out :)
Sara says
Can make it in an 8×8 pan or 8inch round pan?
Amanda Formaro says
You can but because that’s a smaller pan you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Kelley says
How does this freeze?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Kelley! We’ve answered this in the Frequently Asked Questions section within the post:
Can I bake then freeze it for later?
Yes you can freeze this cake! First be sure that the cake has cooled completely. Wrapping the cake when it’s still warm can cause condensation. Next, wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. To defrost, remove layers of aluminum foil and plastic wrap, and stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
Whitney says
How would I adjust to make in a 9×13? Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
You can double it and bake according to the recipe.
Brittany says
Just tried this and loved it! I used unsweetened original soy milk and it still turned out perfect! Only part I was wondering is should I store this is in the fridge or will it last on the counter?
Amanda Formaro says
On the counter for 2-3 days, and in the fridge for 5-6 :)
Melanie Gallant says
Would you be able to substitute something else for the nuts due to am allergy?
Amanda Formaro says
You can just omit the nuts :)