Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake (Printer-friendly)

Moist, tender cake with fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and a sweet tangy glaze, perfect for brunch or treats.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 cups (8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1/4 cup (2 fl oz) fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
12 - 1 1/2 cups (6.7 oz) fresh or frozen blueberries, unthawed

→ Glaze

13 - 1 cup (4.2 oz) powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square cake pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or whisk to cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Mix sour cream or Greek yogurt into the batter until evenly combined.
06 - Gradually fold in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
07 - Gently fold in the blueberries, tossing frozen berries with a tablespoon of flour beforehand to prevent bleeding.
08 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
09 - Bake for 38 to 42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled cake.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cake stays tender and moist for three days, which means you actually get to enjoy it without it drying out.
  • Fresh blueberries burst with juice when you bite through, and the lemon zest keeps everything bright instead of heavy and sweet.
  • The glaze is simple enough to whisk together while the cake cools, no fussy techniques required.
02 -
  • Frozen blueberries are genuinely better than thawed ones here—they hold their shape and don't bleed purple into the cake, and you use them straight from the freezer.
  • Don't let the batter sit after you've folded in the blueberries, or they'll start to sink before it hits the oven.
  • The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to cling; if it's too stiff, add lemon juice one teaspoon at a time.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly; set your butter, eggs, and sour cream out for 30 minutes before you start, and your batter will come together with almost no effort.
  • If your blueberries are very large, halve a few of them so you get more fruit throughout the cake instead of whole berries in scattered bites.

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