A moist and tender Coffee Cake bursting with blueberries and lemon zest. This Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake is flavorful with an added bonus of sour cream to create the best tea and coffee dessert!
The perfect coffee and tea cake is here, and it's none other than this Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake. It's tender, moist, and it's filled with blueberries, and the tang of lemon! It has a crumble topping, and finished with a cream cheese drizzle. What more could you ask for??
If you're a lemon fan, be sure to check out my Lemon Curd Buns, Lemon Bundt Cake, Lemon Butter Cake, and Mini Berry Bundt Cakes for a taste of lemons and berries.
If you love blueberries, try my Blueberry Chocolate Cake, Blueberry Blondies, and Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake.
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♥ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Sour cream- This coffee cake is elevated with the addition of sour cream. It creates a moist crumb that pairs perfectly with the blueberries!
Crumble Topping- Not only is this sour cream coffee cake a winner, but the crumble topping is to die for! Brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter make the world go round in this cake!
Cream Cheese Drizzle- Adding cream cheese to the drizzle brings this whole cake together, and it's the perfect combination of flavors.
Brunch Favorite- Perfect coffee cake to bring to your next brunch gathering, just like these recipes: Raspberry Almond Cake, Banana Bread Muffins, or Lemon Raspberry Rolls.
📝 Ingredient Notes
A full list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions are located in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Butter- Melted butter for both the coffee cake as well as the crumble. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Flour- All purpose flour is what is used in this cake, as well as the crumble. It has not been tested with any other type of flour.
- Sugar- Brown sugar for the crumble, either dark or light, depending on your preference, and granulated sugar for the cake, and powdered sugar for the drizzle.
- Neutral oil- I used vegetable oil, but you could use any neutral oil for this cake.
- Eggs- two large eggs. For all ingredients to mix together without separating, make sure to bring them to room temperature.
- Baking powder- Used as a leavening agent to help the cake rise.
- Lemon- The zest is used in the cake and lemon juice is used in the drizzle for the perfect tang.
- Blueberries- I like using frozen blueberries, and make sure they're not thawed. Fresh blueberries work too.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍴Special Equipment
Kitchen Scale: It's so important to use a kitchen scale for accurate results.
8x8 Pan: You'll need an 8x8 square pan.
Mixing bowls: I love using glass Mixing Bowls when making batters and doughs.
⇄ Substitutions
Greek Yogurt- You can swap the sour cream for greek yogurt or any plain yogurt.
Berries- If you're not a fan of blueberries, you can use raspberries.
Vanilla Drizzle- Instead of adding cream cheese, you can make it a regular drizzle and add vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
Lemons- You can leave out the lemons entirely and just make a blueberry sour cream coffee cake.
Pan- You can swap it out for a 9x9 square pan and bake for less time (see notes). Or you could use a round baking pan.
𓎩 Step-by-Step Instructions
A few instruction photos to help you nail this recipe every time.
Step 1
In a bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and mix, then add the flour and mix until you get a sort of wet crumbly mixture.
Step 2
Set it aside while you make the cake
🎩Trick: To achieve a cake bursting with lemon, infuse the sugar with the zest by rubbing the zest and sugar together with your fingers to release the oils in the zest. This creates an even better flavored cake.
Step 3
Combine sugar and lemon zest and rub together. Add the oil, butter, and eggs, and whip using a hand mixer for about a minute. Then the sour cream, and whip until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix.
Step 4
Fold in the blueberries using a spatula, then pour into a pan, top with crumble, and bake.
💡 Hint: Use a light colored metal baking pan. This will allow the blondies to bake evenly.
Step 5
To make the drizzle, Add softened cheese to a bowl and mix using a hand mixer or you can use a whisk. Slowly add in powdered sugar (½ cup to ¾, depending on how sweet you want it). Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and mix until it creates a drizzle.
💬 FAQ
Yes, both work. Make sure to keep the blueberries frozen if you're not using fresh.
Yes, this cake works in a bigger pan. Make sure to cut the baking time to 30-35 minutes so that it doesn't burn.
You can use greek yogurt or plain yogurt in place of the sour cream.
💡Pro Tips
Measure Flour Correctly - As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
Infuse the sugar with zest: To achieve a cake bursting with lemon, infuse the sugar with the zest by rubbing the zest and sugar together with your fingers to release the oils in the zest. This creates an even better flavored cake.
Coat Blueberries- Toss the blueberries with flour. This helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom.
Room Temperature Ingredients- Using room temperature ingredients helps the batter mix properly without separating or sinking.
Avoid Over Mixing- Once ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing. Fold in the blueberries.
Don't Over Bake- Check the coffee cake at 45-50 minutes to avoid over baking and burning.
❄ Storage
Room temperature- Store in airtight container for a 2-3 days.
Refrigerator- Store for about 5-7 days.
📖 Recipe Card
Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 8x8 square pan 9 inch works too
Ingredients
Crumble
- 4 tablespoon butter melted
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (60g) all purpose flour
Coffee Cake
- 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (130 g) sour cream room temperature
- 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
Cream Cheese Drizzle
- 2 oz. cream cheese softened
- ½ cup (to ¾) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Crumble
- In a bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and mix, then add the flour and mix until you get a sort of wet crumbly mixture. Set it aside.4 tablespoon butter, ½ cup (100g) brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup (60g) all purpose flour
Coffee Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper (9 inch pan works too. See notes for baking time).
- In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and whisk.2 cups (240g) all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In another bowl, add the blueberries and a tablespoon of flour, mix and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest and rub together using your fingers to infuse the sugar with the zest. Then add the oil, butter, and eggs, and whip using a hand mixer for about a minute. Add the sour cream, and whip until combined.1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, zest of one lemon, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup neutral oil, 2 large eggs, ½ cup (130 g) sour cream
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed.
- Lastly, fold in the blueberries using a spatula.2 cups blueberries
- Pour into prepared pan and top with crumble. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool before adding drizzle.
Cream Cheese Drizzle
- Add softened cheese to a bowl and mix using a hand mixer or you can use a whisk. Slowly add in powdered sugar (½ cup to ¾, depending on how sweet you want it). Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and mix until it creates a drizzle.2 oz. cream cheese, ½ cup (to ¾) powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, pinch of salt
- Drizzle the coffee cake, then slice and enjoy.
Notes
- To make in 9x9 pan, bake for 30-35 minutes.
Amber says
Very delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Hakima says
Thank you so much!