Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake: Your Ultimate Guide to a Perfect Crumbly, Zesty, and Fruity Treat

Indulge in a slice of pure comfort with this delightful Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake. Featuring a moist, tender cake base, bursting with the sweet-tart goodness of blueberries and a vibrant lemon zest, all crowned with an irresistible crumb topping, this recipe is designed to bring a little sunshine to any day. It’s the kind of dessert that feels special enough for a celebration, yet effortless enough for a quiet morning with a cup of coffee or tea.

Why This Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake Will Become Your Go-To Recipe

There’s something uniquely comforting about a homemade coffee cake, and this Lemon Blueberry version elevates the classic to new heights. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s easy to bake, incredibly flavorful, and perfect for a variety of occasions, you’ve found it. This cake is more than just a sweet treat; it’s an experience for your taste buds, offering a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that will leave everyone asking for more.

A Symphony of Flavors and Textures

• Zesty Lemon & Sweet Blueberries: The combination of bright, tangy lemon and sweet, juicy blueberries is a match made in culinary heaven. The lemon zest and extract infuse the cake with a refreshing citrus kick that beautifully complements the natural sweetness and slight tartness of the blueberries, creating a dynamic flavor profile that’s both invigorating and satisfying.
• Moist, Tender Cake Base: The foundation of this coffee cake is a perfectly moist and tender batter. It’s light yet substantial enough to hold the generous fruit filling and crumb topping, ensuring every bite is a delightful blend of soft cake and fruit.
• Irresistible Crumb Topping: No coffee cake is complete without a buttery, crunchy streusel topping. Our crumb topping is perfectly golden and adds a wonderful textural contrast to the soft cake and gooey fruit filling. It’s simple to make but adds a gourmet touch to this rustic dessert.

Perfect for Any Occasion

Whether you’re hosting a leisurely Sunday brunch, preparing a delicious dessert for an afternoon gathering with friends, or simply craving a comforting treat to enjoy with your morning coffee, this Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake fits the bill. Its vibrant flavors make it feel like a little piece of spring, even in the middle of winter, bringing warmth and cheer to your home.

The Inspiration Behind This Easy Recipe

Sometimes, all it takes is a simple idea and a desire for comfort to create something truly wonderful. This Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake was born out of a longing for a sweet pick-me-up during a particularly trying time. When life calls for a little indulgence, especially during the colder months or when you need a gentle lift, baking can be wonderfully therapeutic. The aroma of lemon and blueberry filling your kitchen is instantly uplifting, making the entire baking process a joyful experience.

Using a trusted crumb cake recipe as a base, I substituted the traditional apples with a luscious blueberry pie filling, specifically “Premium Blueberry Pie Filling from Lucky Leaf,” for an extra layer of ease and flavor. The addition of lemon zest and lemon extract to both the cake batter and the crumb topping truly marries the flavors, creating a cohesive and unforgettable taste that screams “fresh” and “homemade.”

There’s nothing quite like slicing into a warm coffee cake, where the blueberry filling is still delightfully “ooey gooey.” A dusting of powdered sugar is a classic finish, but for an even more decadent experience, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream would be absolutely heavenly.

Crafting Your Perfect Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake: Essential Tips and Variations

This recipe is designed to be straightforward, even for novice bakers, ensuring a successful and delicious outcome every time. However, a few key tips can elevate your baking experience and guarantee the best possible coffee cake.

Simple Ingredients, Incredible Results

The beauty of this coffee cake lies in its accessible ingredients. You’ll likely have most of them in your pantry already! For the cake, standard pantry staples like all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt form the base. The magic truly happens with the fresh lemon zest and lemon extract, which provide that bright, signature citrus flavor. Milk, vanilla extract, and vegetable or canola oil contribute to the cake’s moist texture, while a large egg binds everything together. For the star fruit component, a can of quality blueberry pie filling makes this recipe incredibly quick and easy.

The crumb topping is equally simple, requiring only granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, melted and cooled unsalted butter, and all-purpose flour. Together, these ingredients create the perfect crunchy, sweet contrast to the soft cake.

Baking Tips for a Flawless Finish

1. Don’t Overmix the Batter: When combining the wet and dry ingredients for the cake, mix just until they are incorporated. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in a tough cake. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and even desirable for a tender crumb.
2. Cool the Melted Butter for the Topping: Ensure your melted butter is cooled slightly before adding it to the crumb topping mixture. This prevents it from making the mixture too greasy and helps achieve those beautiful, distinct crumbs rather than a paste.
3. Even Distribution: Spread the cake batter evenly in your prepared pan, then gently spoon the blueberry filling over it. Finally, sprinkle the crumb topping uniformly across the filling to ensure every slice gets a generous portion of crunch.
4. Check for Doneness: Bake until the topping is golden brown. To test the cake portion, insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the cake (avoiding the fruit filling). If it comes out clean, your cake is ready.
5. Cool Completely: Allow the cake to cool fully in the pan on a wire rack before slicing. This allows the cake to set, the filling to firm up slightly, and the flavors to fully develop, making for cleaner slices and a better overall texture.

Creative Variations to Try

• Fresh Blueberries: While canned pie filling offers incredible convenience, you can certainly use fresh or frozen blueberries (toss with a tablespoon of flour before adding to prevent sinking) and a homemade lemon glaze if you prefer.
• Add Nuts to the Crumb: For an extra layer of crunch and flavor, consider adding a handful of finely chopped pecans or walnuts to your crumb topping mixture.
• Citrus Swaps: Experiment with other citrus flavors! Orange zest and extract would be wonderful with blueberries, offering a slightly sweeter, milder citrus note.
• A Drizzle of Glaze: Instead of (or in addition to) powdered sugar, you could whisk together powdered sugar with a little lemon juice to create a simple, tangy glaze to drizzle over the cooled cake.

Serving Suggestions and Storage

This Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake is delicious on its own, but here are a few ideas to enhance your serving experience:

• Classic Coffee Cake Style: Serve warm or at room temperature, simply dusted with powdered sugar, alongside your favorite coffee or tea.
• Dessert Delight: Pair a slice with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or a side of plain Greek yogurt for a delightful dessert.
• Brunch Star: Present it as the centerpiece of your brunch spread, perhaps with some fresh berries and mint for garnish.

To keep your coffee cake fresh, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you want to extend its life, you can also freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then foil for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave or oven.

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe

Author: Anna

An irresistibly easy Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe featuring a tender cake, luscious blueberry filling, and a perfect crumb topping. Ideal for a relaxed Sunday or any gathering!

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9 generous pieces

Calories: 235 kcal

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 small lemon)
• ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons of milk
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
• ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 can blueberry pie filling (such as Premium Blueberry Pie Filling from Lucky Leaf)

For the Topping:

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Grease and flour an 8-inch round or square baking pan thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190°C).
3. To Make the Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup all-purpose flour. Pour in the ¼ cup melted and cooled butter. Using a fork, fluff the mixture until it creates delightful, coarse crumbs. Set this aside.
4. To Make the Cake: In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Whisk these dry ingredients together until well combined.
5. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons of milk, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon lemon extract, ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil, and 1 large egg until the mixture is smooth.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; it’s perfectly normal and even desirable to have a few small lumps in the batter for a tender cake.
7. Pour the prepared cake batter evenly into your greased and floured baking pan, spreading it gently to cover the bottom.
8. Carefully spoon the entire can of blueberry pie filling over the cake batter, spreading it out to create a generous fruit layer.
9. Evenly sprinkle the prepared crumb topping over the blueberry filling. Ensure good coverage for that signature coffee cake crunch.
10. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crumb topping is beautifully golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the cake portion (avoiding the fruit filling) comes out clean.
11. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is crucial for the cake to set properly and for clean slicing.
12. After cooling, carefully transfer the cake onto a serving plate or stand. Slice into 9 generous pieces and serve.
13. Store any leftover cake in a covered, airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days to maintain its freshness and deliciousness.

Nutrition Information (Per Serving)

Calories: 235 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 82mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Have you tried this delightful Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe? We’d love to hear about your experience! Feel free to leave a comment below and share your thoughts or any creative twists you added.