Blueberry cream cheese coffee cake

If you love soft lemon cake, juicy berries, and a rich cheesecake layer all in one pan, this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake is about to become your new go to bake. It has a tender sour cream cake on the bottom, a creamy filling in the middle, and a buttery crumb topping with lemon icing on top.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like This Recipe
• Ingredients For Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
• Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
• How To Make Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
• Storage And Reheating
• Tips And Variations For This Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
• Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake FAQ
• Recipes You May Like
• Conclusion

I first made this cake on a rainy Saturday last spring when Alex begged for something sweet with breakfast. I had a pint of blueberries in the fridge and a block of cream cheese I kept forgetting about. One hour later, our whole Manhattan apartment smelled like a bakery, and Donald ate two slices before his coffee was even done.

Here is what you can expect. This cake takes about 10 minutes of prep, bakes in 45 minutes, and works for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a snack. It feeds 10 people, which makes it perfect for weekend company. And honestly? It tastes like something from a fancy bakery, but it comes together with simple pantry ingredients. If you love baked blueberry treats as much as we do, my blueberry pie recipe is another one my family asks for on repeat.

Why You Will Like This Recipe

• Quick prep. You only need about 10 minutes of hands on work before it goes in the oven.
• Three layers in one cake. Lemon sour cream cake, creamy blueberry cheesecake filling, and a crunchy crumb topping.
• Moist every time. The sour cream and oil keep the cake soft for days.
• Real ingredients. Fresh blueberries, real butter, real lemon. Nothing complicated or hard to find.
• Works any time of day. We eat it for breakfast, but it also makes a lovely dessert with tea.
• Kid approved. Alex and Sarah both give it two thumbs up, and trust me, they do not agree on much.

Ingredients For Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

For the lemon sour cream cake layer:

• Baking spray
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, packed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the blueberry cream cheese filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh blueberries, or thawed frozen berries, drained well

The crumb topping:

• ¼ cup salted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup all purpose flour

For the lemon icing:

• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

A quick note on substitutions. Full fat Greek yogurt works in place of sour cream, and if you only have unsalted butter for the topping, just add a tiny pinch of salt.

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How To Make Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Get Your Pan Ready

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a nine inch springform pan or a nine inch square baking pan with parchment paper and spray it with baking spray.

If you use a square pan, leave a little parchment overhang. It makes lifting the cake out so much easier. I learned this the hard way the first time, when half my crumb topping ended up on the counter.

Mix The Lemon Cake Batter

Add the lemon zest and sugar to a large bowl. Press them together with a spatula or wooden spoon for about a minute. This little step releases the lemon oils and makes the whole cake taste brighter.

Add the eggs and vanilla, then whisk for one full minute until the mixture thickens slightly. Whisk in the oil and sour cream until smooth.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gently. Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing makes the cake dense, and nobody wants that.

Spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan.

Make The Cream Cheese Filling

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until completely smooth. Room temperature cream cheese matters here. Cold cream cheese leaves little lumps that never go away, no matter how long you beat it.

Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Pour the filling over the cake batter and spread it out to the edges. Scatter the blueberries evenly over the top of the filling.

Add The Crumb Topping And Bake

Combine the cold butter cubes, sugar, and flour in a bowl. Pinch everything together with your fingers until you get coarse, pebbly crumbs. Sarah loves helping with this part, and honestly, little hands are perfect for it.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the blueberries. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping turns golden and the center barely jiggles. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing it.

Finish With Lemon Icing

Whisk the powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. If it feels too thick, add the last tablespoon a little at a time. Drizzle it over the cooled cake and let it set for a few minutes before slicing.

Storage And Reheating

Because of the cream cheese layer, leftovers belong in the fridge. Store slices in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Want to freeze it? Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, tuck them into a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

For that fresh from the oven feel, warm a slice in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Donald swears the flavor gets even better on day two, and I think he might be right. The lemon really settles into the cake overnight.

Tips And Variations For This Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

• Toss frozen berries in flour first. One teaspoon of flour keeps them from sinking and bleeding into the filling.
• Do not skip the zest and sugar rub. It only takes a minute and it makes a real difference in taste.
• Watch the bake time in a square pan. Mine usually needs about 5 extra minutes compared to the springform.
• Try raspberries or blackberries. Both work beautifully. Ever wondered what this cake would taste like with a mixed berry combo? Try it. You will not regret it.
• Swap the lemon icing for a dusting of powdered sugar if you want something less sweet.
• Avoid warm ingredients in the crumb topping. Soft butter turns the crumbs into paste instead of pebbles.

If you love the lemon and cream cheese combo, my lemon cream cheese dump cake gives you similar flavors with even less effort. And for another crumb topped treat, these mango crumb bars are a summer staple in our kitchen.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake FAQ

Can I Use Frozen Blueberries In Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake?

Yes, and I do it all winter. Thaw them first, drain them really well, and pat them dry with paper towels. I also toss them in a teaspoon of flour so they hold their place in the filling instead of sinking.

How Do You Keep Blueberry Coffee Cake From Becoming Soggy?

Drain thawed berries thoroughly, and always let the cake cool completely before covering it. Trapped steam is the biggest cause of a soggy topping. I once covered a warm cake with foil before a school bake sale, and the crumb topping turned soft by morning. Lesson learned.

Does Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Need To Be Refrigerated?

Yes. The cheesecake style filling contains cream cheese and egg, so it needs to stay chilled. It can sit out for a couple of hours while you serve it, but after that, back in the fridge it goes.

Can Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Be Made Ahead Of Time?

Absolutely. I often bake it the night before brunch and hold off on the icing. In the morning, I drizzle the lemon icing on and it looks and tastes fresh. You can also freeze the whole cake, un-iced, for up to 3 months.

Recipes You May Like

• Deliciously warm blueberry and apple crumble if you want another cozy blueberry dessert with a golden topping.
• Homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting for weekend mornings when you have a little extra time.
• Moist cranberry orange bread if you love that bright citrus and fruit combo in a quick loaf.

Conclusion

This blueberry cream cheese coffee cake really does it all. A soft lemon cake, a creamy blueberry filling, a crunchy crumb topping, and a tart lemon icing, all in one simple pan. It takes 10 minutes to prep and 45 minutes to bake, and it disappears fast in our house.

This one has earned a permanent spot in our weekend rotation, and I hope it earns one in yours too. Give it a try, and let me know how it turns out for you! Do not forget to save it to Pinterest so you can find it next time the blueberry mood strikes.