This blueberry crumb cake combines the sweetness of blueberries with a tender & moist cake base, all crowned with a golden brown and buttery streusel topping. Whether enjoyed as an addition to your morning coffee, or as an after dinner dessert, this blueberry crumb cake is sure to satisfy your sweet cravings.
This cake is super moist and fluffy (it basically melts in your mouth) and has the most spectacular vanilla flavor. The buttery crumb layer is studded with blueberries and lightly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, which enhances the overall flavor profile of the cake.
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Why you will love this blueberry crumb cake
- Bursting with juicy blueberries. This crumb cake is generously studded with plump, juicy blueberries that burst with sweetness in every bite. Their vibrant flavor adds a refreshing and fruity twist to the classic vanilla cake.
- Irresistibly tender and moist. The cake's texture is heavenly – soft, tender, and incredibly moist. The combination of butter, oil, and milk all adds to the incredibly fluffy texture of the cake.
- Perfect crumb topping. The streusel topping is a star on its own. It's buttery, provides a satisfying crunch, and is lightly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom.
- Incredibly versatile. Whether enjoyed with your morning coffee or tea, or served as dessert after dinner, this blueberry crumb cake is versatile enough to fit any occasion.
Key ingredients
- All purpose flour: flour provides structure and stability to the batter. It forms the main body of the cake, ensuring the perfect balance between a tender crumb and moist texture. Also used in the streusel, the flour provides structure to the crumb layer and its classic crumbly texture.
- Baking powder: baking powder is the leavening agent that gives the cake its light and airy rise.
- Unsalted butter: butter contributes to the cake's rich, buttery flavor and moist texture. Butter is also essential for creating the rich and buttery texture in the crumb.
- Vegetable oil & whole milk: vegetable oil & whole milk provide moisture to the cake.
- Granulated sugar: sugar sweetens the cake while also creating moisture making the cake super soft. Granulated sugar is also used in the streusel - it helps create a slightly crunchy, caramelized layer that contrasts with the cake's softness.
- Eggs: eggs act as binders, holding the cake's structure together.
- Vanilla extract: Use good quality pure vanilla extract if you can! This is where all the flavor comes from.
- Frozen blueberries: blueberries are the star of the show, adding bursts of tang and sweetness. I say frozen blueberries just so that this dish can be thought of as a dish you can make any time of year and have the same freshness.
- Cinnamon & cardamom: ground cinnamon & ground cardamom are warm, aromatic, and add a subtle spiciness to the crumble.
- Powdered sugar: used in the glaze.
Steps
- Make the streusel layer. Whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl. Add the melted butter and fold until incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Prepare pan. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper with overhang on both sides - this will make it easier to remove the cake from the pan.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat wet ingredients. Beat together the butter and oil until combined. Stream in the granulated sugar and mix until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between each addition, then add the vanilla extract. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
- Combine. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined, then add half of the milk and mix until just combined. Stop to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Repeat this with the other halves of the dry ingredients and the milk.
- Bake. Spread the batter into the prepared pan in an even layer. Sprinkle the blueberries on top of the batter, followed by the crumble. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. If you wish to enjoy the cake while slightly warm, let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the cake and adding the glaze. If you wish to enjoy the cake completely cool, you can wait to make the glaze until the cake has completely cooled at room temperature.
- Slice & enjoy! Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. I usually will keep it at room temperature for a day or two, then I will put it in the fridge.
FAQ
Absolutely! While this recipe calls for frozen blueberries, you can definitely use fresh ones.
Certainly! If you're not a fan of cardamom or don't have it on hand, you can swap it out with ground nutmeg or omit it completely.
Of course, the glaze is optional. If you prefer, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar instead, or not add anything at all if you prefer your cake to be less sweet.
Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, place it in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze individual slices in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to a month.
Absolutely! Once it's cooled completely, before adding any glaze, cover it tightly and store it at room temperature. Once ready to serve, make the glaze and drizzle on top. If you're making it further in advance, consider freezing it and allowing it to thaw before adding the glaze and serving.
If your cake turns out dry or over-baked, it might have been in the oven for too long or at too high of a temperature. If it was under-baked, the opposite is true. Follow the recommended baking time and temperature (use an oven thermometer!). Check for doneness using a toothpick – it should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
A cake that sinks in the middle can be caused by opening the oven door too early or over-mixing the batter. Avoid opening the oven door during the initial baking phase. Also, make sure to mix the batter until just combined to prevent excess air from deflating during baking.
Uneven baking can result from unevenly distributed batter or an oven that doesn't heat evenly.
Baking in grams
While I provide volume measurements for the recipes on my blog, I highly suggest baking these recipes using weight. It is the most standardized and accurate way to bake. I carefully recipe test all of my recipes using a kitchen scale, not by using cups, and therefore I cannot guarantee the success of my recipes when using volume measurements.
Other blueberry recipes you may like
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Blueberry Crumb Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Streusel
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (84 grams) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter melted
Cake
- 1 ¾ cup (219 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 grams) vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk room temperature
- ~1 heaping cup (200 grams) frozen blueberries
Glaze
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- To make the streusel: in a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cardamom. Add the melted butter and mix until thoroughly combined and the mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside while you prepare the cake batter.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and oil - starting at medium speed then gradually bumping it up to high speed. Mix until the butter and oil are completely combined.
- With the mixer on low, stream in the granulated sugar, then bump the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat until combined and fluffy, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well on medium-high speed and scraping down the bowl in between each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined. The batter should seem nice and fluffy.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Add half of the milk and mix on low until just combined. Stop to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Repeat this process with the other halves of the dry ingredients and the milk, being careful not to over-mix.
- Spread the batter into an even layer in your pan. Sprinkle the blueberries in an even layer on top of the batter, followed by the streusel.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- If you wish to enjoy the cake while slightly warm, let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the cake and adding the glaze. If you wish to enjoy the cake completely cool, you can wait to make the glaze until the cake has completely cooled at room temperature.
- To make the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and whole milk until combined. You may need to add more powdered sugar (to thicken) or milk (to thin) depending on desired consistency. Drizzle on top of your cake, slice, and enjoy! Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
Tried this recipe? Make sure to rate and review and tag @sturbridgebakery on Instagram!
Becka
Wow, these are amazing!!! They turned out exactly like the pictures! The only thing I did different was, I added brown sugar instead of white sugar to the crumble. I can't wait to make these for my friends! My family devoured them.
Jess Italiano
Thank you so much Becka!!