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.
Several of our readers have successfully made this in a 13×9 by doubling the recipe. Follow the baking instructions and check at 40 minutes.
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 pulse, or cut in if doing by hand, until mixture is crumbly. Don’t over process. 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!
More Breakfast Recipes
- Sheet Pan Breakfast Pizza
- Breakfast Casserole with Hame and Cheese
- Ham and Broccoli Strata
- Tex-Mex Breakfast Bake
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Bread Pudding
- Cherry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
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
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter or margarine softened (NOT melted)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
For the topping:
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup walnuts finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
For the drizzle: (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk more or less to get to a drizzling consistency
Before You Begin
- This cake has a very thick batter that will have to be spread into the pan rather than poured. It’s also very important to make sure you are measuring your flour properly so that you don’t end up with more than you are supposed to. Always measure flour using the “scoop and sweep” method.
- Several of our readers have successfully made this in a 13×9 by doubling the recipe. Follow the baking instructions and check at 40 minutes.
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.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 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.1 large egg, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 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.2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- For topping, combine sugar, flour, walnuts and cinnamon in a mini food processor or bowl. Add butter and pulse, or cut in if doing by hand, until mixture is crumbly. Don't over process. I like to do this with my fingers so I can tell when it's ready by touch. Sprinkle over batter.1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
- 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.1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk
Nutrition
This post was originally published on this blog on Jul 23, 2010.
Amanda Davis
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Tracy says
Just made this and it was so good! The batter was definitely thick and wish I would have added just a touch more milk to help mix it and fold in the blueberries. I didn’t do the icing as I didn’t want it too sweet and it was just perfect without it. Thank you for sharing this amazingly delicious recipe!
Lynda Tock says
Followed the directions to the ‘T’, but my batter was not as thick as shown. For the topping I do not eat nuts, so did the flour, butter, cinnamon and combination of white and brown sugar, Came out like an icing. Spread over the top and then crumbled a graham cracker and spread over that. Just out of the oven, so I cannot comment on the taste yet, but looks good.
Amanda Formaro says
If it wasn’t thick, it’s possible that you may have mis-measured the flour?
Darbiek789 says
I love this recipe. The first time I didn’t follow the flour instructions so my cake was dry but my family still loves it I slices it up and poured the icing over the top! I like how the actual cake isn’t too sweet and the sweetness is on the top! I did a second batch following the flour instructions and it came out perfect! It does taste even better after sitting in the covered container overnight! I made mine right in my glass pyrex. Keeping this one on my bookmark favorites can’t wait to try more recipes!
Lisa Burrey says
This turned out wonderfully! I used the dough hook to mix the batter but had to mix the blueberries in by hand. I didn’t have a lemon so used orange zest instead. Turned out with a great taste, not too sweet, with a little tartness from the berries. the crumble topped it perfectly and no need for a glaze.
Jeanne says
Light and delicious
Sue says
This was SO delicious! After I put it in the oven, I noticed the egg still on the counter! Ugh. BUT it still tasted amazing lol. Thank you :)
Deb says
I just made this, and it was absolutely amazing!!
Sylvia says
I made this am and absolutely one of the best coffee cakes I have baked. Everyone loved it!!
Liz says
It was mentioned that the recipe would be quite thick. That should have been a good tip off.
Jesskay89 says
I agree. I made this last night for breakfast this morning and it is dry as dirt! The flavor is good, I did omit the lemon. But I was so worried that it would be dry with how thick the dough was, I added more milk! It was more of a cookie dough texture than a batter. I wont be making this again. Going to go back to a tried and true recipe I have and adding my blueberries in.
Amanda Formaro says
So you changed the recipe and then say it didn’t work? You omitted the lemon and added more milk. That’s not my recipe.
Michael says
Made a double portion for a 20 cm x 18 cm Pyrex. Followed the suggestion of adding more cream for the fat content. Cooked at 176 C for 55 minutes and 180 C for an additional 8 minutes before the cake was finished. The icing would have been fine with 1 teaspoon of milk.
Ann says
This was AWESOME! I just finished picking berries, froze alot and was looking for something new to try and found this. So glad I did! I’m old school so I wrote it down on a recipe card and put it in my box! It will be my go to for blueberries:)
Wendy says
We liked it very much. It was listed as a heavier cake and was a little dry on the edges but tasted excellent.
Craige says
You show a photo of flour on a scale but don’t include an exact weight?? I so much prefer to measure for baking in grams.
Amanda Formaro says
2 cups all-purpose flour is approximately 9 ounces. 4.5-4.6 ounces is one cup.
9 ounces is 255 grams.
Cathy says
Delicious! Made this yesterday and it is almost gone! My crumble did not turn out as pictured but good eats nonetheless. Will def make again!
Shari says
I made this recipe I didn’t have milk but did have half & half. I used a little extra because the dough was very thick, enough to bring it to a little bit thinner consistency.
Came out very moist and delicious. My husband liked it a lot.
Marta says
Wow! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe, easy to follow and is super yummy, my husband is such a bread lover, and this one was no exception! Thank you again
Dorothy Vena says
I made this cake following the directions exactly. I weighed the flour and used fresh blueberries and found that the directions were accurate and helpful, especially regarding the thickness of the batter. We tried the cake as soon as it was cool and to be honest, we were not that impressed. The cake was bland and slightly dry and dense. I covered the cake and left it overnight. Much to my surprise, the next day, the cake was moist and flavorful. The overnight rest helped immensely! It was delicious. If you have a day to let this one sit before serving, I would highly recommend.
Maureen west says
I found the cake quite flavourless and so was not impressed but I will do what Dorothy Vena says and let it sit overnight and maybe it will be more tasty!
Shelley McCloud says
I didn’t have a lemon so I used 1 teaspoon almond flavoring this did the trick yes I could tell but family members couldn’t tell! Boy I’m tricky this is my go to – thank you 🙏
Stefanie Potgieter says
I did not like this recipe. I followed the recipe to the T. I knew once the batter was so so thick that the coffee cake was not going to be a light fluffy consistency. It was too dense and chewy. Doesn’t seem to be enough fat in it to carry the recipe. My husband thought it was ok, but I didn’t like it and won’t be making it again.
Carrie says
I’ve read some of the more negative reviews and have to say that maybe the bakers that had negative experiences did something wrong…mine came out moist and light and fluffy…my edges were fine. It was very good. Only thing I would do differently is maybe slightly less blueberries but that’s just my personal preference. Thanks for the recipe!
Deb says
I followed the recipe, but I didn’t have lemon zest. We still loved it!
Barbara says
This blueberry breakfast cake is so delicious you will want to eat it any time of the day! All I changed was pecans instead of walnuts. Yes the batter will be thick. Don’t worry about it. Mix with a large wooden spoon at first and then with your hands. The topping is perfect with just the right amount of crunchiness. I have made this 3 times and now every time I see blueberries I must make it. Thank-you.
Denice says
Came out very good and really quick and easy for those that can’t wait to eat. Did bake it 10 minutes longer to get a nice brown crust. Inside was tender and perfect sweetness, perfect for breakfast and coffee. Will make again.