Moist and fluffy sour cream cake with fresh blueberries, topped with a crunchy cinnamon crumb topping. This simple cake is perfect for snacking or brunch events.
Crumb cakes have become more and more popular at our family occasions, mostly because I really like crumb cakes and because I usually make the cakes. I don’t hear any complaints though. I used this coffee cake recipe for a long time until I realized that adding fruit to crumb cakes makes them even better! In addition to this blueberry cake, I have an amazing crumb cake with plums and ginger too. The real reason behind my love for these cakes is the streusel, and I also go quite heavy on it.
Ingredients Needed
Streusel topping:
- Flour
- 50/50 blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar (light or dark)
- Ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Unsalted butter, melted
Cake:
- Fresh blueberries
- All-purpose flour, sifted
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
The cake is made with the standard creaming method. It’s important to bring your ingredients to room temperature. This method achieves a light and tender crumb.
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Helpful Tips
By making the streusel ahead of time and keeping it in the fridge while you prepare the cake, they will harden and retain beautiful crumbs in the oven.
Toss the blueberries with some flour to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.
Break up any large crumbs with your fingers while topping the cake. Leave a few big pieces if you’d like. It may look like there are a lot of crumbs, but trust me, it’s the perfect amount so don’t be afraid to use them all.
Storing and Serving
The cake keeps well for several days in the fridge, but I like to serve it at room temperature, which gives it the best texture.
Blueberry Crumb Cake
Sour cream cake with fresh blueberries and a cinnamon streusel topping. Perfect for brunches or snacking.
Ingredients
Streusel topping:
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (65 g) brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
Cake:
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350℉/180℃ degrees. Grease a 9-inch square pan. (8-in square pan works too, but will need a slightly longer baking time). Set aside.
Make the streusel
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork or your fingertips until the mixture is uniformly moistened and crumbs form. Place in the fridge while you prepare the cake.
Make the cake
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In a small bowl toss blueberries with 2 teaspoons flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking.
-
In another medium bowl place the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set bowls aside.
-
In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla extract.
-
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream in 2 additions, starting and ending with the flour. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in blueberries.
-
Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over the batter. It may look like a lot of crumbs, but that’s ok, use them all.
-
Bake the cake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Storing and serving
Store cake in the fridge, covered well, for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.
Fatimah says
Dear Shiran I made this cake but I noticed that the color of the cake it’s not light and fluffy like yours .. what do u think is reason.. plz help me
Shiran says
Hi Fatima. For a fluffy and light cake it’s important to cream the butter and sugar for several minutes before adding the eggs, and mix the batter as little as possible once you add the dry ingredients.
Naomi says
Hi Shiran I made this yesterday it was lovely, the only issues I had was the blueberries! Despite tossing them in flour they still sank to the bottom of the cake!
Shiran says
That happens sometimes, but I hope the cake was delicious!
Dee says
I made this with coconut oil instead of butter and used frozen blueberries. Mixed everything by hand too! My husband and I had two pieces each while it was still warm from the oven. So delicious! Thanks Shiran!
Shiran says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like it!
Kirsty says
Oh no all my crumb topping sunk into the cake while it was cooking
Shiran says
Hi Kirsty, this can happen if the batter isn’t thick enough, or if the crumbs are too heavy.
Miri says
I made this twice already, once with raspberries instead of blueberries. They were a hit! Everybody loved it and it was pretty simple to make! Thanks for your recipes~
rachel says
hi ms. shiran can i ask?what if i omit the sour cream from the recipe what can i replace?tnx.. i have tried making your carrot and banana its so moist and flavorful
Shiran says
Sour cream is the best option, so I highly recommend it, but yogurt is fine too.
Miri says
Made this multiple times already, and it’s always a hit!
I also tried using blueberries as well as raspberries and they’re both absolutely delicious.
Thank you for your amazing and simple recipes Shiran!
Shiran says
Thank you so much, Miri!
Rachel says
Love the recipe! However, because I don’t have fresh blueberries, I used frozen. I don’t know if that is the reason but I constantly keep getting these gluey streaks in the cake, and it becomes dense in some areas…I’ve made the recipe two times and they both turned out like that. Could it be because of the blueberries or am I doing something else wrong? I best in flour on low speed until combined too…please help!
Shiran says
Hi Rachel, that’s definitely the reason! It doesn’t happen with fresh blueberries. Sometimes it’s hard to avoid it but this can help: coat the berries with a bit of flour or sugar before adding them to the batter, and don’t defrost the berries, just use them frozen.
Julie says
Hi! I wonder if I should use parchment paper? My cakes have the tendency to stick to the pan if I only grease them with butter. Thank you! Xx