This sour cream blueberry coffee cake is super moist and flavorful with a pound cake like texture and filled with yummy blueberries, then topped with the most amazing crumb streusel topping with just a hint of cinnamon. It’s yummy for breakfast, or any time you want a blueberry treat.
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Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!
This cake is truly addicting. It’s definitely not diet food, but because it’s got blueberries in it…we can call it healthy, right?
Coffee cake is great for breakfast or dessert or just whenever you want a yummy blueberry snack. Just warm up a small (or large) slice in the microwave and you’re good to go.
Let’s talk about some of the ingredients in this sour cream blueberry coffee cake:
Brown sugar: This is a must. You can use either light brown or dark brown sugar, but regular sugar just won’t do it.
Butter: You’ll be using unsalted butter here and you’ll need it cold for the crumb topping and room temp for the cake. Make sure to use real butter here as margarine just isn’t the same.
Sour cream: Sour cream pumps up the flavor and the moisture in this cake. Use real full fat sour cream if you can get it, but if you can’t then you can substitute it if necessary. You’ll want to check out the FAQ section of this blog post below to see substitution options.
Zest and juice of one lemon: The cake won’t taste lemony…but the lemon just brings out the flavor of the blueberries.
Frozen blueberries: I used frozen blueberries here, but you can use fresh as well although you might need to bake it for less time if using fresh blueberries. (Make sure to read the notes in the actual recipe.)
Mixing method for this cake:
The mixing method for this cake is called the reverse creaming method. That just means that instead of creaming the sugar and butter together until fluffy and then alternately adding in the dry and liquid ingredients, you’ll instead mix in the butter chunks into the dry mixture, then add in the liquid in two parts.
Once the liquid is added, you’ll stir in the frozen blueberries, then pour everything into the pan. Next you’ll cover it all with the yummy crumb topping and bake.
I find the reverse creaming method makes a more tender cake and I also find it easier to do. (Don’t worry though, the recipe instructions will walk you trough it…easy peasy.)
Tips & FAQs for the Sour Cream Blueberry Coffee Cake:
No, it will be just fine covered at room temperature for a couple days. After that, you can refrigerate it to help it last up to a week.
I used frozen blueberries, so I have not tested out this recipe using fresh blueberries. It should be fine although you may have less baking time so keep that in mind. Using frozen blueberries might help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake though and they may be less likely to burst during baking.
No, you’ll add them frozen. (See question above)
It doesn’t matter. Dark brown and light brown sugar are interchangeable, but I used light brown. Make sure to pack brown sugar when you measure it.
Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. If you scoop the flour out with your measuring cup, you’ll end up adding too much flour into your cake batter.
Don’t microwave the butter as it will heat unevenly. Just set the butter out for about an hour or so to come to room temperature before mixing the cake batter.
No, it’s optional, but it really brings out the flavor of the blueberries. You can use a couple tablespoons of bottled lemon juice as a substitute.
The sour cream really helps give this cake a wonderful taste and makes it moist, so it’s best to use sour cream. If you really cannot get it, you can use full fat yogurt instead.
This is a scratch cake, so you want to be careful not to mix too long or it will make your cake very dense and tough. Only mix until the ingredients are well combined…don’t mix for several minutes, that’s too long for a scratch cake.
No. You can absolutely use a hand mixer.
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SUPPLIES USED TO MAKE THIS COFFEE CAKE:
- Mixing bowls
- Metal measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk set
- Rubber spatulas
- Hand mixer or Stand mixer
- Flat beater attachment if using a stand mixer
- 13×9 inch glass baking dish
- Cooling racks
Ok let’s get to the recipe!
Note About Recipe Measurements: I write recipes using volume (cups) measurements because here in the U.S., this is what people are more familiar with and I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when baking. For metric/weight measurements, click the ‘metric’ button under the ingredients in the recipe card below. The weights are converted by a program, not me, and it’s just a best guess. I can’t guarantee that weighing the ingredients will produce the exact same results, since I test recipes using volume measurements.
Recipe:
Sour Cream Blueberry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
For the cake:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- juice and zest from 1 lemon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 3 ½ cups frozen blueberries, not thawed (if using fresh blueberries, see notes below)
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Instructions
For the crumb topping:
- Add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk well. Pull out any brown sugar chunks. Add the chunks of butter and mix with a fork and your fingers smashing the butter as you go. Once all the chunks of butter are broken up and mostly incorporated, you can use the fork or an electric mixer to mix it just until the mixture is crumbly.
- If using a mixer, be careful not to mix too long, or it will form a paste. Stop mixing once the mixture looks crumbly.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill while you make the cake.
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 9×13 inch pan. (I used a glass pan). If you’re using a dark coated pan, the bottom may over-brown a bit, so just be aware.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and packed brown sugar. Whisk well and set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla extract and juice and zest from one lemon. Whisk well and set aside.
- Make sure your butter is slightly cooler than room temperature. Add the butter (in chunks) slowly to your dry ingredients. (You can turn your stand mixer on low and leave it on while you add the butter chunks a bit at a time, or you can use a hand mixer.)
- Once all the butter has been added, turn the mixer up to medium and mix until all the flour is coated with the butter and the mixture is crumbly. It will have a sand-like texture.
- Pour in about half of the liquid mixture. Mix on medium until just combined. About 15-20 seconds.
- Pour the last of the liquid mixture and mix again until combined. Don’t over mix the batter. Mixing it for several minutes is too long. Once all the ingredients are incorporated well, stop mixing.
- Use a rubber spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix again for only about 10 seconds.
- Add a couple teaspoons of flour to the frozen blueberries a stir to coat them.
- Add the flour coated frozen blueberries to the cake batter and stir in with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, not with the electric mixer.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan. If you use frozen blueberries, the batter will become quite thick and possibly a little stiff. It's okay, just spread it evenly into the pan as best you can.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50-55 minutes. The top will be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out either clean or with a few moist crumbs. (I used frozen blueberries. If you use fresh blueberries, you may not need to bake as long. Watch your cake closely after about 40 minutes.)
- Set on wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes, then serve straight from the pan. This cake is best served warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Shannon
I made this today just as the recipe says….fantastic! My favorite blueberry recipe now. I did need to cook it for an hour and it did rise above my 9×13 pyrex, but so delicious when done. I really wouldn’t change a thing, except maybe a deeper Pyrex next time.
Kara
Shannon, thanks for the great review! So glad you loved it. 🙂 Yes, I agree…it does make a LARGE cake!
Joy
I’m trying to make some freezer meals & am so wondering if you know if this would freeze well after cutting into pieces? I’d think it’d work to thaw in the fridge overnight & warming in the microwave, air fryer or oven but I’m not sure.
Kara
Hi Joy, I haven’t tried it out, but in theory, I think it would do just fine though. The topping may end up a little less crispy but I think it would still be fine. I’d just let it thaw in the fridge and then pop into the microwave to warm up.
Gina
Just perfect!!!! I cut recipe in half to fit an 8 inch square pan. No problems with the directions. I used unsweetened almond milk instead of dairy. I followed the rest of the recipe as it is written. This cake is moist and delicious – will be making this a lot. Thank you for a recipe that turns out the way it is supposed to. August 11,2024
Kara
Hi Gina, thank you for your wonderful review. I’m so happy it turned out for you and that you loved it! Also really glad that almond milk worked as well. That information will be helpful to others who might want to try that. Thanks again!
Jane
Really sorry to leave a poor review, but I did not have success making this. First time I used fresh blueberries, baked 45 minutes but forgot to put in baking powder. It actually wasn’t too bad but I thought I’d better make it with all the ingredients. Second time, I used frozen blueberries and baked for 65 minutes, thinking it was finally done only to find it was still very much undercooked. I really don’t want to try a third time. I’m glad to see others have better results than I do. PS yes, my oven temperature is correct and I measured all ingredients.
Kara
Jane, I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out for you! I’m just not sure what could have happened. I haven’t had that experience with this cake, but I appreciate your honest feedback.