Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake (Print Version)
Moist, tender cake bursting with blueberries and lemon zest.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup milk
06 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw)
→ Crumb Topping
13 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
→ Lemon Glaze
16 - 1 cup powdered sugar
17 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round or square baking pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, and cold butter in a small bowl. Blend with fingers or fork until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
04 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Incorporate eggs one at a time, then stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
06 - Alternate adding half the flour mixture, then milk, then remaining flour mixture to wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined.
07 - Gently fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter without overmixing.
08 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth surface. Evenly sprinkle crumb topping over batter.
09 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crumb topping stays crispy on the outside while the cake beneath stays tender and moist, giving you two textures in every bite.
- Fresh lemon juice makes it taste bright and summery, but not so tart that you need extra sugar to enjoy it.
- It comes together in under an hour, and frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh ones.
02 -
- If you use frozen blueberries and want to prevent them from turning your batter purple, toss them lightly with 1 tablespoon of flour before folding in—this coating absorbs moisture and keeps the color intact.
- Don't cream the butter and sugar for too long or the mixture becomes grainy; 2–3 minutes is enough to incorporate air without overdoing it.
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour develops gluten and creates a dense, tough cake instead of the tender crumb you're after.
03 -
- Use a microplane zester for lemon zest instead of a box grater; you get fine, tender zest that distributes evenly instead of chunky pieces that can taste raw.
- Measure flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag, which compacts the flour and makes the cake drier.
- Room-temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a lighter, more tender crumb than cold ingredients pulled straight from the fridge.