Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake

My neighbor brought over a slice of lemon blueberry coffee cake one Saturday morning, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. The way those tart berries burst against the tender crumb, how the lemon zest brightened everything without being sharp—it felt like someone had figured out the exact balance between breakfast and dessert. I went straight to my kitchen determined to recreate it, and after a few attempts, I landed on this version that makes my kitchen smell like a bakery before 9 AM.

I baked this for a breakfast gathering with friends who usually skip baked goods, and three people asked for the recipe before they'd finished their first slice. There's something about a homemade coffee cake that makes people slow down and actually sit at the table together, not just grab and go.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (2¾ cups total): The backbone of this cake—use the fluffiest brand you can find, and don't pack it down when measuring.
• Baking powder and baking soda (2 tsp and ½ tsp): These keep the cake tender and give it that gentle rise without becoming cakey.
• Unsalted butter (¾ cup total): Cold butter for the streusel, softened for the batter—temperature matters because cold butter creates pockets and soft butter creams properly.
• Granulated sugar (¾ cup plus ½ cup): The smaller amount goes in the batter, the larger in the streusel for that perfect contrast in sweetness and texture.
• Eggs (2 large, room temperature): Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly and create a more tender crumb.
• Lemon zest and juice (1 lemon's worth): This is where the magic lives—use fresh lemon, never bottled, for brightness that actually tastes like lemon.
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt (1 cup): The tanginess keeps things moist and adds a subtle depth that makes people ask what's in it.
• Fresh or frozen blueberries (1½ cups): Frozen blueberries from the freezer (don't thaw them) won't bleed into your batter and will burst with juice when you bite into them.
• Cinnamon (½ tsp in streusel): Just enough to warm the topping without overpowering the lemon.
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp): A quiet background note that makes everything taste more like itself.
• Powdered sugar and lemon juice (for optional glaze): The glaze is a finisher—it catches light and makes the cake look intentional.

Instructions

Set up your stage:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your 9-inch pan with butter or cooking spray, then dust it with flour or line it with parchment. A cold oven is the enemy of a good coffee cake—get that heat going now.

Make the streusel first:

Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, then cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or just use your fingers until it looks like coarse crumbs. Pop it in the fridge—cold streusel stays crunchier when it bakes.

Dry ingredients together:

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to break up any clumps and distribute the leavening evenly.

Cream the butter and sugar:

Beat softened butter and sugar in a large bowl for 2 to 3 minutes until it's light and fluffy—this takes longer than you think, but it's the foundation of a tender crumb. You're looking for something that looks almost like frosting.

Add eggs and brightness:

Drop eggs in one at a time, beating well after each one, then beat in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. The mixture might look a little curdled—that's normal and fine.

Gently combine everything:

Add the dry mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream, and start and end with flour. Stir just until combined—overmixing wakes up the gluten and makes your cake tough, which is the opposite of what we want.

Fold in the blueberries:

Use a rubber spatula and be gentle, folding them in until they're just distributed without crushing them into little purple specks.

Spread and top:

Pour the batter into your prepared pan, smooth the top, then sprinkle the cold streusel over everything in an even layer.

Bake with patience:

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. If it looks golden brown before 35 minutes, tent it loosely with foil so the top doesn't burn.

Cool properly:

Let it sit in the pan for 15 minutes—this gives the structure time to set—then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This is actually important, not just something people say.

Finish if you want:

Mix powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice into a thin glaze and drizzle it over the cooled cake for a final touch of brightness and polish.

Save

What I love most is watching someone pull off a piece and find those pockets of soft, sweet blueberries underneath the buttery streusel crunch. It's the kind of cake that feels homemade without requiring any special techniques or ingredients.

Why This Combination Works

The sour cream is the secret to keeping this cake moist for days—it adds both moisture and a subtle tang that keeps the lemon from tasting one-dimensional. The combination of baking powder and baking soda gives you a lift that lasts all the way through baking without making things fluffy in a weird way. Lemon and blueberries are a classic pairing because the citrus brightness balances the sweet, almost floral notes of the berries.

Variations and Swaps

You can toast and chop nuts—almonds, pecans, walnuts—and add them to the streusel for extra crunch and nuttiness. Raspberries work beautifully here if blueberries aren't in season, or even a mix of both. If you don't have sour cream, plain Greek yogurt works exactly the same way and actually adds a little more tang if you use full-fat.

Serving and Storage

This cake is best served at room temperature with a cup of strong coffee or Earl Grey tea, and it actually gets better after a day when the flavors have had time to settle. Store it covered on the counter for up to three days, or wrap it well and freeze it for up to two months. You can serve it plain, with a dollop of whipped cream, or with vanilla ice cream if you want to make breakfast feel like dessert.

• It's delicious while still slightly warm, when the streusel is at its crunchiest.
• Pair it with beverages that have some tannin or brightness—coffee, black tea, or even a light sparkling wine.
• Make it the day before if you're serving guests because the flavors blend and deepen overnight.

Save

There's something about baking a coffee cake that feels like an act of care, whether you're making it for yourself or for people you love. This one has become my go-to because it's forgiving, it stays moist, and it never fails to make a morning feel special.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes, use them straight from the freezer without thawing to prevent color bleeding and maintain texture.

→ What is the purpose of the streusel topping?

The streusel adds a crunchy, buttery layer with cinnamon notes, contrasting the soft, moist cake beneath.

→ How can I make the cake more moist?

Incorporating sour cream helps retain moisture, creating a tender crumb and rich texture.

→ Is the lemon glaze necessary?

The lemon glaze is optional but adds a bright, sweet finish enhancing the citrus flavor.

→ What baking tools are recommended?

A 9-inch baking pan, mixing bowls, electric mixer or whisk, pastry cutter, spatula, and cooling rack work best.