Blueberry Crumb Cake – an easy anytime cake bursting with fresh blueberries and topped with a crunchy brown sugar crumb topping. This is a great cake to make for breakfast or brunch or serve it for dessert with ice cream on the side. Either way, it’s delicious and an easy cake to make.
I just love homemade crumb cakes because they’re really a cake you can serve any time of day. I always think of breakfast first because what’s better than a slice of cake for breakfast? With this blueberry crumb cake recipe it’s a wonderful way to start the day.
But it’s equally as delicious served after dinner – just add some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. It’s also the best coffee cake for the afternoon with some tea or coffee to sip on.
So, you get the point – the blueberry crumb cake is perfect any time of day. Morning, noon, or night you will love a slice of this cake. It’s loaded with blueberries and topped with a buttery nutty crumb topping.
Table of contents
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- Melted butter – let it cool to room temperature before using it.
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- All purpose flour
- Ground nuts – I like walnuts, cashews, or almonds
Blueberry Cake
- Pastry flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Softened butter
- Large egg
- Large egg yolk
- 2% milk or whole milk
- Lemon zest
- Blueberries tossed lightly in flour
Room temperature ingredients: With cakes and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a silky batter, which will help to create a light tender baked good.
How to Make It
Make the topping first by combining the butter, both kinds of sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour, nuts, and stir to form a crumbly mixture.
For the cake, start by whisking flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use an electric mixer to beat in the butter until the dough is very crumbly.
Beat in the egg, egg yolk, milk, and zest to the flour mixture. Once the batter forms, add the blueberries and fold them into the cake batter.
Transfer the batter to a prepared 8″ round or square prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top and bake the cake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes.
It’s done when a toothpick or cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool the crumb cake in the cake pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can you use frozen blueberries for crumb cake?
Yes, you can use fresh blueberries or frozen berries. If you use frozen, you don’t need to thaw them first.
Can you use all-purpose flour for the cake?
You can but the cake won’t be as light and tender. If you don’t have pastry flour, you can make your own. For every cup of all-purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and add the same amount of corn starch. Sift the flour to combine and remove any lumps.
Variations
Nuts: Use your favorite chopped nuts in the topping. You can use all of the same kind or mix them up.
Berries: Raspberries, blackberries, even chopped strawberries will work in this recipe, too. Be sure to toss the fruit with the 2 tablespoons of flour, this keeps the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
How to Store Blueberry Crumb Cake
Once it’s cooled to room temperature, cover the cake with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. It can keep for up to a week. The cake can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days.
You can also freeze it for up to three months. Wrap well in plastic wrap or foil and place in a freezer safe bag or container.
Soft crumb cake with blueberries in every bite. No matter what time of day you serve it, everyone will want a slice – Enjoy!
More Easy Recipes
Blueberry Crumb Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE TOPPING
- ½ cup butter (melted and cooled)**
- ½ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt**
- 1⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup ground nuts (walnuts, cashews or almonds)
FOR THE CAKE
- 1⅓ cup +2 tablespoons pastry flour* (divided) (181 grams total)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt**
- ½ cup butter softened**
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- ¾ cup milk (2% or whole milk – room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1½ cups blueberries (fresh or unthawed frozen)
*You can also use all purpose flour, although pastry flour makes a more tender cake, to make homemade pastry flour for every cup of all purpose remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons of corn starch, sift together to remove any lumps.
**If you use unsalted butter then replace a pinch of salt with ¼ teaspoon.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Grease and flour an 8 inch round or square cake pan.
FOR THE TOPPING
- In a medium bowl mix together the butter, sugars, cinnamon and salt. Add the flour and nuts, combine for form a crumbly dough. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together 1 ⅓ cups of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat in the butter until a very fine crumb forms, add the egg, egg yolk, milk and zest and beat until smooth.
- Toss the blueberries with 2 tablespoons of flour, then fold into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and spread evenly, then add the topping over the top of the batter. Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached. Let cool in the pan 15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired. Enjoy!
Linda says
Is patty flour cake flour?
Rosemary says
Hi Linda, yes it is basically the same. Take care.
Toni Vitrano says
I love your recipes, Rosemary. I look forward to reading your blog and have your Authentic Italian Desserts book. I don’t know if you can help me, but I have been trying to get that distinctive Italian taste to my Italian cookies and desserts–the one that is part of the cookies from my local Italian bakeries. I believe it comes from the use of Paneangeli Vanillina, which I purchased when on a work-related visit to Rome and can now purchase at my local Italian market here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My question is that I am not exactly sure how to use it to replace the baking powder and vanilla in my recipes. Is there a standard conversion for this product? Any help you are able to give is greatly appreciated. Buona giornata e grazie mille.
Rosemary says
Hi Toni, thanks so much, so glad you enjoy the recipes. I actually never use vanillina, although I have discovered that it isn’t a substitute for baking powder, baking powder in Italian is lievito per dolce or “Paneangeli Lievito Vanigliato” which is a name brand, if this is what you purchased then I always used a 1 for 1 substitution. Vanillina is actually a synthetic powder substitute for vanilla extract which isn’t highly recommended. Although you can substitute it for vanilla (not baking powder) 1 packet equals 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Hope this helps. Let me know.