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:
- â…“ 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.Â
- 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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Pam Scott says
Just finished making this it turned out great! I used buttermilk because I had it about 3/4 cup instead of regular milk.
I am going to try freezing it this weekend, but of course I had to sample it!
Thanks again,
Pam
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome! Hope it’s yummy :)
Pam Scott says
Hi Amanda,
This sounds so great! was wondering if the topping uses brown or white sugar?
Thanks for sharing !
Amanda Formaro says
Hi, Pam! Thanks so much! The topping uses regular sugar, mixed with some cinnamon. You can find all the ingredients for the topping above :)
Megan says
Just tried this cake today and it went amazing!! I actually used GF flour (for my mom because she has celiac disease) and almond milk because it was all we had on hand – 1/2 cup definitely wasn’t enough because my batter wasn’t just thick it was dough like (note that almond milk typically does this anyways I’m used to it) so I just kept pouring until I got to a thick batter. My mom loves it so thank you!!!
Megan says
I also baked this in an 8×8 because it was either that or a 9×13 pan and that was obviously too big …cooked for 40 mins actually – was still soft and fluffy on the inside, not dry at all :))
Amanda Formaro says
I’m so glad it came out great for you, Megan! :)
Tina M Lane says
Amanda, I just made this Blueberry cake for breakfast and it came out a bit dry.
I followed the recipe like you have it on here. I’m not sure what I did wrong, Although it was tasty.
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry it was dry for you Tina. Baking is such a science and appliances are all different. it could have been several things, and possibly nothing you may have done wrong. It could have been the oven if it’s reading is off by several degrees, or if could have been the way the four was measured. I am glad it tasted good though! :-/
Judy Milne says
Observation: although I’ve not made the recipe yet, I’m thinking the thicker batter is similar to a drop biscuit dough, or muffins. Think Bisquik or other packaged biscuit mix rather than a cake mix. The dough consistency gives the finished product a heartier crumb. I would probably use my fingers to spread the dough in the pan, to ensure it got into the corners,
Amanda Formaro says
Hi, Judy. You’re correct, the dough is much thicker than that of a cake mix. It will definitely need to be spread in the pan rather than poured. I hope it turns out great for you! :)
Liz says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I altered a little to make a bit healthier. My grandsons and I made it just now. Can’t wait to try it.
Amanda Formaro says
I hope it turns out good for you, Liz! :)
Maria M says
I made this yesterday. Followed the recipe to the letter. When combining the wet and dry ingredients the flour soaked up all the wet and there was still flour in the bowl. I added just under a 1/2 cup of milk. Turned out beautiful and delicious!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Maria :) I’m glad it came out great! I’ve triple checked the ingredients and measurements and they were correct. The batter is actually very thick and needs to be spread into the pan. But obviously it didn’t harm the recipe to add more milk. I think most people expect the consistency of the batter to be like a regular cake or muffin batter, but it’s much thicker than that. Thanks again for your feedback! :)
Carol Runette says
how do I get into my saved recipes box?
Mary says
I made these this morning…amazing! I love lemon so instead of adding the 2 tablespoons of milk to the glaze, I substituted for 2 tablespoons of squeezed lemon juice. The glaze was phenomenal and the cake terrific.
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you enjoyed it Mary! You’re making me want to make it again now! :)
maria says
We made this cake and it was TERRIBLE… a waste of ingredients, time & very frustrating. The dough was too thick, it never rose, and tasted like not properly cooked dough. Is there an ingredient missing?
Amanda Formaro says
Sorry yours didn’t turn out Maria. All the ingredients are there and there are several commenters that made it successfully. I’m not sure what could have went wrong with yours. Is it possible you missed an ingredient or accidentally mismeasured somethin? Did you substitute any of the ingredients?
Brooke says
Eeek. This is how mine is turning out. I reviewed the ingredients 5 times making sure I added enough wet. It’s in the oven now. I hope it turns out, I have guests coming for breakfast!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Brooke, how did yours end up coming out?
Amanda Formaro says
The batter is very thick, thicker than most people expect it to be. Hope it turned out!
Mary V. says
What size pan do you use? I must be overlooking something. Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks for pointing that out Mary. The pan size was 9×9, I’ll edit the recipe :)
Amanda Formaro says
i just went to edit the recipe and it does say a 9-inch pan :)
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
Oh, how delicious! It would be just perfect with this lovely cup of tea I just brewed. And thanks a million for including a link to my blueberry lemon muffins.
Apples N Adrienne says
I love blueberries! Looks fab!
Sally says
I made this for my mom's group this morning, and it was DEVOURED!! SO yummy! I will def be making this again. I only had skim milk, so I used that and half and half. I used frozen berries right out of the freezer, and I baked it in a stone pan, so it only took about 25 min to bake.
kayla says
This sounds wonderful! I can't wait to give it a try (got to get some blueberries first)! :)
Amanda says
I hope you enjoyed it Anon! :)
Anonymous says
This looks terrific. I'm making it now. Out of milk, so I'll use 1/2 n 1/2, and almonds instead of walnuts. (That's what we do, use the pantry.) I'll let you know how it comes out. I can hardly wait.
Amanda says
So happy to hear that Shelley! Maybe I should make it again :) YUM!
shelley c. says
This looked so good, I have been waiting for an opportunity to try it, and today was the day. I used a combination of blueberries and strawberries, and I just now pulled it out of the oven and BOY does it look and smell good. I wonder if we will be able to wait for breakfast tomorrow?? I have a feeling it may wind up being dessert tonight. :)
Maria says
I wish I was eating this right now! Yum!