Lemon blueberry coffee cake has a tender, fluffy sponge cake, a layer of fresh blueberries, and crumb topping. This blueberry snack cake is both dairy free and gluten-free, is egg-free and vegan, and is perfect for brunch or an afternoon treat.
This simple easy lemon blueberry coffee cake is made with a few wholesome ingredients. Dairy free and gluten free, this easy blueberry crumb cake is made with flour and no eggs and no oil, topped with fresh roasted blueberries, a buttery crumb and drizzled with a lemon glaze. A vegan blueberry snack cake perfect for all diets.
Ingredients
Blueberries. Fresh work best and provide the strongest flavor, but frozen will work - just don't thaw them before you flour them.
Sugar. Cane sugar is best for texture.
Flour. I used a gluten-free baking flour so all purpose flour will work too. Oat flour will also work. Just use 1 cup more and know the texture will be heavier.
Milk. Use dairy free.
Applesauce. I use this instead of oil. You can use store-bought applesauce, but I find it works better to replace the rise that eggs provide by blending a chopped apple with peel - the pectin mimics the texture that eggs provide cakes.
Yogurt. Dairy free yogurt, with or without fat is fine. This ingredient thickens the batter and helps hold up the blueberries.
Flavors & baking ingredients. Vanilla, cinnamon, lemon juice and baking powder.
Crumble & glaze ingredients. Use butter, flour and cinnamon for the crumble. Use powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Steps to Make Blueberry Coffee Cake
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
Prep 1: Mix the crumble by cutting the cold butter into the dry ingredients and creating a lumpy texture. Put it in the freezer so it will chill.
Prep 2: Toss the blueberries in flour and sugar. Set aside.
Make the Cake
Step 1: Add all the cake ingredients to a bowl and use a hand mixer or spoon to mix the batter.
Step 2: Add the batter to an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Layer floured blueberries on top of the batter. Then add the chilled crumble on top of the layer of blueberries.
Step 4: Bake the cake at 350 F for 1 hour (60 minutes) with fresh blueberries or (70 minutes) if using frozen blueberries.
Step 5: Mix the lemon glaze and drizzle that over a cooled lemon blueberry snack cake and serve.
Storage
Store the cake in a sealed container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Recipe Tips
If you are using frozen blueberries, flour them just before you add them to the top of the batter - don't let them thaw.
If you use oat flour, add 1 cup of flour to the batter, and use oat flour at the recipe's measurements for the crumble and as a blueberry coating.
Blueberry Dessert Recipes
FAQS
Yes both strawberries and blackberries will work as a replacement for blueberries.
You can bake it in a 9-inch square or round pan and let it bake for about 60 minutes. Don't try a loaf pan, it won't bake correctly. I recommend using my Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins recipe instead.
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch square pan
Ingredients
Crumb topping
- ¾ cup (95g) white flour (gluten free or all purpose)
- 6 tbsp (75g) cane sugar
- 4 ½ tbsp (65g) butter, cold and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Blueberry layer
- 1 ½ cups (222g) blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp (15g) white flour (gluten free or all purpose)
- 1 tbsp (12g) cane sugar
Vanilla cake
- ¾ cup (150g) cane sugar
- 1 tbsp (12g) lemon juice
- 1 ½ cup (190g) white flour (gluten free or all purpose)
- ½ cup (175g) yogurt, dairy free
- ⅓ cup (83g) applesauce or 1 pureed apple
- ⅓ cup (85g) milk, dairy free
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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Instructions
Prep
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Make the crumb topping: Mix the crumble by cutting the cold butter into the dry ingredients and creating a lumpy texture. Set in freezer while you prepare the blueberries and batter.¾ cup (95g) white flour (gluten free or all purpose), 6 tablespoon (75g) cane sugar, 4 ½ tablespoon (65g) butter, cold and chopped, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Prepare the blueberries: Add the blueberries, 1 tablespoon of flour to a bowl and toss until combined. Set aside at room temperature. If using frozen blueberries, leave this step until just before you need them.1 ½ cups (222g) blueberries, fresh or frozen, 2 tablespoon (15g) white flour (gluten free or all purpose), 1 tablespoon (12g) cane sugar
Make the cake
- Add the applesauce and sugar to a large bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. A little graininess is okay.⅓ cup (83g) applesauce or 1 pureed apple, ¾ cup (150g) cane sugar
- Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix with a hand mixer or spoon until just combined. Don't over mix.1 tablespoon (12g) lemon juice, 1 ½ cup (190g) white flour (gluten free or all purpose), ½ cup (175g) yogurt, dairy free, ⅓ cup (85g) milk, dairy free, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the batter to the pan and smooth level with a spoon.
- Scatter coated blueberries only 1 layer on top of the batter. Don't press. Hold back 9-12 to put on at the end.
- Sprinkle the chilled crumble on top.
- Dot 9-12 more blueberries across the top.
- Bake the cake: Bake the cake for 1 hour & 15 minutes (75 minutes) using fresh blueberries, and a bit more if using frozen blueberries. NOTE: Check the cake with a tester at 1 hour - your oven might run hotter.The cake is ready when the top is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling. If you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, it should have no wet batter on it. Or shake the pan and the cake batter should not wiggle.
- Cool the cake: Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the pan. The transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, for another half hour or more.
- Add a lemon glaze drizzle: To make the glaze, stir 1 teaspoon of lemon juice into ½ cup of powdered sugar. Add a touch more lemon juice if needed. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into slices.
Storage
- Store the cake in an sealed container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Dee Dine
This lemon blueberry crumb cake is bright in flavor, soft and made with healthier ingredients. No eggs!