Classic Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe

As a kid, we had a coffee cake made from Bisquick every once in a while (you can find a delicious recipe for that HERE), but old-fashioned, homemade versions I only encountered at church functions when the ladies hosted coffee breakfasts. An event in the morning wouldn’t be complete without coffee and cake. It wasn’t done.

Their coffee cakes were full of cinnamon swirls, streusel, and berries. A little girl from a big family on a small budget thought these were pretty neat. Unless the old-fashioned versions had pecans…then I removed them (I don’t like nuts in my cake).

Why is it called coffee cake? Does it have coffee in it?

There are mixed reports on if the original coffee cake actually had coffee in it. The majority of the information says no. A coffee cake is simply a cake for drinking coffee with. To me, that’s still super awesome!

Key Ingredients:

• Buttermilk. Old-school coffee cake MUST have buttermilk, sour cream, or cream cheese to add intense richness and flavor to the cake.
• Butter. The richness you get from real butter cannot be beat. And try making a yummy cinnamon crumble without it…it’s near impossible.
• Cinnamon. Throw in a bit of nutmeg or all-spice sometimes, for fun. Either way, coffee cake isn’t the same without a bit of crunchy crumble on top.
• Frozen blueberries. You can certainly use fresh blueberries but I find that frozen works just as well in this. And in the dead of winter are a lot easier to find! –don’t use frozen if you aren’t baking the cake right away!

Recipe Variations

• If you (like me) love pairing blueberry with lemon, add a tablespoon of lemon zest to the batter of your Blueberry Coffee Cake. (Also, be sure to make my top recipe, Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake!)
• Don’t have (or don’t like) blueberries? Try adding blackberries, chopped strawberries, cherries, or even some peeled and diced apples instead.
• If you’re not in a fruity mood, you could toss in some chocolate chips or just leave it plain. It will still be delicious!

Why buttermilk in the cake?

I’m aware of two reasons for it. For one, buttermilk adds a tangy flavor to cakes. That way they don’t get too sweet but remain rich. Second, the acid in buttermilk helps whatever leavening agent you’re using give the cake a lift…it’s like a magic potion.

Can I use sour cream instead of buttermilk?

You can use sour cream instead of buttermilk in this Blueberry Coffee Cake, and the higher fat content may make the flavor even richer. Depending on how thick your sour cream is, some bakers recommend thinning it with a little milk when subbing for buttermilk.

Can I substitute milk for buttermilk?

Don’t just swap milk for buttermilk when you’re baking, or your cake will come out flat and dense. Buttermilk contains acid, which helps the cake rise. You can sub some of the baking powder with baking soda to help. You’re just better off using buttermilk.This is one of my favorite buttermilk coffee cake recipes that I make. It’s fast, easy, and delicious. Serve it up with a strong cup of coffee.

When you don’t have buttermilk:

Stir together 1 cup of milk (as high of fat content milk as you have) with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in a small bowl. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to curdle & thicken. Use it as your 1 cup buttermilk in most baking recipes.

I make my coffee cakes like those church ladies used to. They’re homemade, full of buttermilk flavor, cinnamon crumble, and berries. Plus double the crumble too!

How to make the blueberry buttermilk coffee cake:

1. Mix the streusel topping and set it aside.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together.
3. Now combine the wet ingredients with the flour mixture together.
4. Pour into your prepped pan.
5. Sprinkle the blueberries on top.
6. Add the streusel on top.
7. Bake.

How do I make ahead/store/freeze my Blueberry Coffee Cake?

The key to storing your Blueberry Coffee Cake is to keep the air out to keep the cake moist. So, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or move it to an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for a couple of days. If you want it to last longer, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

Freezing Blueberry Coffee Cake

You can freeze your Blueberry Coffee Cake for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic, then wrap it in aluminum foil. When you’re ready to eat it, give it time to come to room temperature before diving in. (Easier said than done, I know.)

Making Blueberry Coffee Cake Ahead

You can make this Blueberry Coffee Cake ahead of time and reheat it (or not) before serving—just follow the storing or freezing instructions above. If you want to prep it ahead of time and bake it just prior to serving, you can:

• Prepare the batter
• Pour it into the greased pan, cover it tightly with plastic wrap (without the streusel topping)
• Store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• When you’re ready, remove it from the fridge, give it about 30 minutes to come to room temperature and add the streusel topping.
• Bake!

(P.S. Don’t use frozen blueberries if you’re wanting to make it ahead. You’ll make a mess instead.)

Other favorite blueberry recipes to try:

• Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake that’ll make you cry!
• Blueberry Cake with Almond Crumble
• Simple Rustic Blueberry Tart Recipe
• 3 Ingredient Blueberry Coffee Shake (the Big Blue)
• Baked yogurt donuts with fresh blueberry icing

Other coffee cake recipes to try:

• Oat Flour Coffee Cake
• Apple Studded Coffee Cake
• Baked Coffee Cake Donuts {with Whiskey Frosting}
• Pineapple yogurt coffee cake with coconut crumble