Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

April 1, 2021 by Chenée Lewis

Easy blueberry cream cheese coffee cake with lemon is the most delicious cake for any time of day! This old fashioned, streusel topped sour cream blueberry cream cheese coffee cake is moist and delicious, and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

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And if you love this blueberry sour cream cream cheese coffee cake, definitely try my Cherry Coffee Cake, my Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Zest, and my Earl Grey Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze!

Easy Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

I love baking with berries in the spring and summer! And this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake brings together the perfect flavor pairing of blueberries, a hint of lemon, and crunchy streusel, all wrapped up in a tender cake that just screams springtime!

This moist coffee cake perfect for brunch celebrations and sharing with loved ones -- it's sure to be one of your family favorites. And you can use frozen blueberries to make it, so it's an excellent recipe to make no matter the season! It's the best blueberry coffee cake ever!

overhead shot of cake with a piece cut out — Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipe

Layered Cream Cheese Blueberry Cake

If you're familiar with this blog, you know I'm a huge fan of layered treats like this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake. One of my first recipes on the blog was these layered pineapple cheesecake bars, with a shortbread crumble crust and topping and a brown butter coconut icing.

Or there's my Samoas Cookie Pie, which layers a shortbread crust, chocolate ganache, caramel and toasted coconut, and a chocolate drizzle! Layers make desserts fun to make and eat, and they're SO delicious! And this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake is another great layered dessert!

It's got a moist, lemony sour cream cake base that is so good! Then we're adding in a sweet cream cheese filling, a layer of fresh blueberries, and a buttery crumb topping. Finally, we'll top it all off with a drizzle of a super easy lemon icing to bring it all together. This blueberry cream cheese cake is really a celebration of flavors, textures, and lovely springtime berries that will shine on your table!

serving a piece of cake — Streusel Topped Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

What makes coffee cake different from cake?

Coffee cake just refers to a cake that is made with a streusel or crumb layer on top, like my Cherry Coffee Cake! So this streusel topped blueberry cream cheese coffee cake definitely fits the bill!

Why is it called coffee cake?

But why is a coffee cake called coffee cake when there is no coffee in the recipe? It's simple -- because you enjoy it with your morning coffee! Or at least you can. You can also have it with tea, or milk or orange juice instead of a cup of coffee. Basically it's a crumb cake that you eat for breakfast. Which is always fine by me!

If you like recipes to serve with coffee or tea, check out my Earl Grey Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze, my 4 Ingredient Banana Bread or my Coffee Cookies for more fun breakfast treats!

all the ingredients in prep bowls — Ingredients for lemon blueberry cream cheese coffee cake

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake Ingredients

For the lemon sour cream cake layer in this sour cream blueberry cream cheese coffee cake recipe, here's what you'll need:

granulated sugar - just enough to sweeten this lemon cake and balance out the tartness of the lemon.
lemon zest - I love to press the zest into the sugar to bring out the lemony oils.
eggs - make sure your eggs are room temperature so that this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake comes out light and fluffy!
vanilla extract - for the best flavor, be sure to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract. Or better yet, check out my post on how to make vanilla extract at home with just 2 ingredients!
vegetable oil - this is the key to keep this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake nice and moist!
sour cream - helps to create a moist cake with a fluffy texture and a hint of flavor!
all-purpose flour - for best results, be sure to measure your flour correctly, using either a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurement, or the spoon-and-level method.
baking powder and baking soda - they give this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake a nice lift!
salt - to bring out all the flavors.

For the layer of cheesecake and blueberries:

softened cream cheese - you can let your cream cheese sit out at room temperature for at least an hour, or see below for a tip for how to soften your cream cheese quickly!
granulated sugar - to give your cream cheese filling a bit of sweetness!
egg - make sure your egg is room temperature. See below for a tip!
vanilla extract - as I mentioned above, pick a great-quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor throughout this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake!
blueberries - juicy blueberries are the star of the show! I used fresh blueberries, but you can also use frozen blueberries that have been thawed and drained. If you have fresh berries, check out these tips on how to keep summer berries fresh for longer! And for more blueberry goodness, try my Strawberry Blueberry Pie!

Blueberry Lemon Cream cheese Coffee Cake on a plate with a fork — Blueberry Lemon Cream cheese Coffee Cake

For the crumble topping, you'll need these simple ingredients:

cold salted butter - the cold butter in the crumb topping allows the mixture to crumble on top of the cake! I usually cut my butter into cubes and then place it in the freezer until I'm ready to add it to the recipe.
granulated sugar - provides the sweetness for this crumb topping
all-purpose flour - helps to form the crumbs!

And finally, for our easy lemon icing, just grab some powdered sugar and lemon juice! It's that easy!

Equipment

Now that you've got your ingredients together for this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake, let's talk about tools! First of all, I'd recommend using a 9-inch springform pan or a cake pan with a removable bottom for this recipe. It makes the cake nice and easy to remove without disturbing the crumb topping.

Also, most springform pans are tall enough to accommodate the height of the cake. Other than that, you'll need a bowl and whisk to whip up the cake layer, an electric mixer for the cream cheese layer, and a pastry cutter (or just a fork) for the crumb topping.

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Sour Cream Blueberry Coffee Cake, Step by Step

This cream cheese blueberry cake comes together easily, but because of the layers of flavor and texture there are several steps. Here's a breakdown of how to make it, and you'll find the full instructions below in the recipe card.

Prep. Preheat your oven and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and baking spray. If you're using a 9-inch square baking pan, leave an overhand with the parchment paper so that your blueberry cream cheese coffee cake comes out easily!
Whip up your cake batter. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, press your sugar and lemon zest together to release the oils, then beat in your eggs. Add in your eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Then sift in your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients in until the batter just barely comes together. Scrape your cake batter into your pan and move on to the cream cheese filling!
Make your cream cheese filling. In another large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat your softened cream cheese and then mix in your sugar, vanilla extract and egg. Pour this cream cheese mixture on top of the batter in your pan and then sprinkle your blueberries on top!
Make your crumb topping. The best part of this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake is the buttery streusel topping! You'll use cold butter so that the crumb topping is cold when it hits the oven. In a small bowl, use a pastry blender or a fork to cut the cold butter with flour and sugar until the mixture is like coarse crumbs and starts to clump together. You can also use a food processor to pulse the cold butter and dry ingredients together. Then just sprinkle it over your blueberries, and your cake is ready to bake!
Bake and let cool. Bake your blueberry cream cheese coffee cake for about 45 minutes -- you'll know it's ready when the crumb topping is nice and golden brown.
To remove the cooled cake from the pan, run a butter knife inside the sides of the pan between the cake and the pan. Release the springform pan and transfer the cake to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before you add your icing.
Add your icing. Almost done! Once your blueberry crumb cake is cooled, just whisk together your powdered sugar and lemon juice until it's nice and smooth. This is your icing! Now just drizzle it over the top of your delicious blueberry coffee cake, let it set, and you're in for some yummy blueberry lemon goodness!

iced cream cheese blueberry cake on a rack — Cream Cheese Blueberry Cake

Moist Blueberry Coffee Cake Tips and F.A.Q.

How do I soften my cream cheese quickly?

To soften your block of cream cheese for this cream cheese blueberry breakfast cake, just remove it from the foil and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until softened. It should be ready to add to your blueberry cream cheese coffee cake!

Is coffee cake dry?

Often, a coffee cake will dry out if it is overbaked, or if there isn't enough oil added to the batter. Also, using butter in your batter can contribute to a dry cake since butter is partly oil. So how do you keep a coffee cake moist? In this easy blueberry cream cheese coffee cake recipe, we're using vegetable oil and sour cream to maintain that moist texture!

And don't forget to measure your flour by weight with a kitchen scale instead of a measuring cup! It'll help ensure accurate measurements and prevent a dry cake! Check my Measuring Baking Ingredients post for more tips!

How do I get my eggs to room temperature quickly?

It's important to use room temperature eggs in most baking so that the cold egg doesn't affect the rise or even baking of your result. If you didn't have a chance to leave your eggs out to get to room temperature, try this tip. Just submerge the eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 15 minutes. That will allow them to get to room temperature more quickly and ensure a great result for this sour cream coffee cake!

What if I don't have a springform pan?

I recommend using a 9-inch springform pan for this cake. That way you'll have no problem removing the cake from the pan and don't disturb the crumb topping. But if you don't have a springform pan, you can use a 9x9 square baking pan! Just leave an overhang of parchment paper to make it easier to lift the cake out of the pan. You can also try this with a 9-inch round cake pan, but I find that it works better with a square pan.

Can I use frozen blueberries?

You sure can! I would just suggest thawing them first, and letting them drain well so that they don't add too much extra liquid to your cake.

Does cream cheese coffee cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, because of the cream cheese layer you'll need to keep this cake in the fridge in an airtight container to store it. Let it sit out a bit to come to room temperature before serving.

How many carbs are in blueberry coffee cake?

This blueberry coffee cake recipe contains 80g of carbohydrates per serving -- see the nutrition facts below for more nutrition information!

How do you know when coffee cake is done?

You'll know this cream cheese blueberry cake is ready when the top is golden brown and the cream cheese layer is set.

What other cake recipes should I try?

If you like cupcakes, you'll love my Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes! And speaking of strawberry, my French Strawberry Cake is an easy, elegant, strawberry dessert!

blueberry cream cheese coffee cake on a rack before being cut — Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Southern Living

If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!

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