Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake

Your Mother’s Day brunch baking recipe is here: Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake, studded with plump blueberries, swirls of blueberry jam, and bursting with bright lemon cake and icing. The cake has a moist, tender crumb and gets crowned with a generous heaping of brown sugar streusel for a delightful crunch. This bright coffee cake sings of spring and the perfect way to celebrate mom or any spring and summer occasion. Whether served alongside a steaming cup of coffee or as a standalone dessert, this cake is sure to create a memorable Mother’s Day.

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake

Serves 8 | Prep Time: 20 Mins | Cook Time: 45-55 Mins

Ingredients:

  Streusel

• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 6-7 tbsp. melted unsalted butter

  Cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. lemon zest, about 1 large lemon
• 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• ¾ + 2 tbsp. sour cream 
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼  cup (60g) milk
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder 
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt 
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tbsp. flour, for tossing blueberries
• ½ cup blueberry preserves

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tbsp. lemon juice 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Make the streusel: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, and salt. Slowly pour over the melted butter, mix with a spoon, and form medium to large crumbs. Set aside. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom. 
3. In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand and becomes fragrant. 
4. Add the softened butter and, using a hand mixer or whisk, beat the sugar into the butter for about 2 minutes, until fluffy, at least doubled in size, and the sugar has mostly dissolved. 
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Then add the sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing until thoroughly combined. 
6. In a measuring cup, add milk and lemon juice. Set aside. 
7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
8. Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add half of the milk and lemon juice, then mix again (I suggest using a handheld whisk to avoid overmixing). Alternate again with the last addition of dry ingredients and milk. Whisk by hand until just combined. 
9. To a small bowl, add fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen), and toss with 1 tbsp. of flour. Set aside. 
10. Add half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Dollop with half of the blueberry preserves and swirl with a knife. Scatter half of the floured blueberries, then repeat with the remaining batter, preserves, and blueberries. Add the streusel crumbs over top of the cake and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out almost clean (with a few crumbs – the cake will continue to cook while cooling). 
11. Allow to cool almost completely before icing. Make the icing by whisking all the ingredients in a small bowl until thickened but pourable. Using a spoon or whisk, drizzle the icing over the top once the cake has cooled sufficiently. 
12. Slice and serve.