Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cake Recipe with Buttery Streusel

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Versatile: Delicious for breakfast, brunch, or served with whipped cream or ice cream for dessert.
• Flavor Pairing: Lemon and blueberry are a classic, fresh pairing for spring and summer baking.
• Textural Contrast: A soft, moist cake under a crisp, buttery crumb topping makes every bite memorable.

Ingredient Notes

Full, exact ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are included in the recipe section below. A few notes to help you get the best results:

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment and lightly spray or grease the sides.

2. Step 2: In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add the room-temperature butter and oil and beat on medium-high for 1–2 minutes until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

3. Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, and salt—in a separate bowl. Add them to the wet mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

4. Step 4: Toss the blueberries with a teaspoon of flour, then fold them gently into the batter so they distribute evenly without bursting.

5. Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top so it’s even.

6. Step 6: Make the crumb topping by combining flour, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Cut cold butter into the mixture with a fork or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the batter.

7. Step 7: Bake 42–47 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake no longer jiggles. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.

8. Step 8: Whisk powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a pourable glaze, then drizzle over the cooled crumb cake. Slice and serve.

Expert Baking Tips

• Serve with whipped cream and extra fresh berries, or a scoop of ice cream for a dessert option.
• If you prefer less sweetness, skip the glaze and dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
• Use room-temperature ingredients for the best texture—eggs, butter, and buttermilk should sit out for 30–60 minutes before baking.
• We include both cups and grams. Grams are more precise for flour; if you don’t have a scale, spoon flour lightly into measuring cups instead of scooping to avoid packing it down.

A sunken center usually means the cake was slightly underbaked. Make sure the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean before removing from the oven. Avoid opening the oven door during the early stages of baking.

Yes. Omit the lemon zest and use a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a little milk or vanilla if you still want a sweet finish.

Yes. The batter makes about 12 muffins—bake the muffins 15–20 minutes. For two loaf pans, bake about 35–40 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick.

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Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cake

Author: Brooke Homec

Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cake is a soft, tender cake brightened with lemon zest and studded with blueberries, finished with a lemon crumb topping and a sweet lemon glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dessert.

Ingredients

Cake Batter

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
• ½ cup (113.5 g) butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (melted coconut oil optional)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 cups (296 g) blueberries, tossed in 1 teaspoon flour

Crumb Topping

• ½ cup (70 g) flour
• ⅓ cup (66.7 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Lemon Glaze

• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice, to thin

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 pan with parchment and grease the sides.
2. Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar, then beat in butter and oil until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to wet ingredients in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
4. Toss blueberries with a teaspoon of flour and gently fold into batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Make the crumb topping by combining flour, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the cake.
6. Bake 42–47 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
7. Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake, slice, and serve.

Notes

Top with whipped cream and extra berries or serve with ice cream for a dessert. Use room-temperature ingredients for best texture, and measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup unless you’re weighing by grams.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 377 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 57 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g · Sugar: 35 g · Sodium: 282 mg