Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake: A Weekend Morning Joy
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake has always felt like a warm hug on a Saturday morning, the kind of pure weekend magic that instantly brightens your day and makes your kitchen smell absolutely divine.
My personal journey with this cake began during a hilariously disastrous college morning, an attempt to impress roommates that resulted in burnt streusel, a dense cake, and cream cheese stubbornly refusing to swirl into anything pretty. That chaotic scene reminds me of other early baking adventures, like when I was first exploring different variations for my blueberry cream cheese bread recipe, but my determination to crack the code for this perfect coffee cake was unwavering.
After many trials and a few more kitchen laughs, I finally mastered the art of this indulgent Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, a recipe that’s more than just ingredients; it’s a testament to learning from mishaps and celebrating those sweet victories, bringing happy faces to the breakfast table – much like the comfort found in other wholesome options such as a cozy banana blueberry baked oatmeal. Ready to bake up some pure joy with me?
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake: A Weekend Morning Joy
Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIndulge in this irresistible Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, featuring a tender vanilla cake base, a rich cream cheese swirl, juicy bursts of fresh blueberries, and a sweet, buttery streusel topping, all finished with a delicate vanilla glaze.
Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (95g) packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Coffee Cake:
1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt
1/2 cup (120ml) milk (any kind)
1 1/2 cups (225g) fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)
For the Vanilla Glaze (Optional):
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or spray with non-stick spray. Line with parchment paper if desired, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
- For the Streusel: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the flour until crumbly. Set aside.
- For the Cream Cheese Filling: In a separate small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined. Set aside.
- For the Coffee Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream (or yogurt) and milk.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (e.g., dry, wet, dry, wet, dry). Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the fresh or frozen blueberries. Be careful not to crush them.
- Spread half of the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Spoon half of the cream cheese filling in dollops over the batter. Swirl gently with a knife or skewer.
- Spread the remaining batter over the cream cheese layer. Carefully dollop the remaining cream cheese filling on top and swirl again. Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the entire cake.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached (not wet batter). If the streusel begins to brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. If desired, prepare the Vanilla Glaze while the cake cools.
- For the Vanilla Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk/cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the slightly warm or cooled coffee cake.
- Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- The Softening Secret: Make sure your cream cheese and butter for the cake batter are *truly* softened to room temperature. This is key for a smooth, lump-free cream cheese swirl and a tender cake crumb. Don’t rush it; set them out an hour or two before you plan to bake!
- Berry Best Practices: If using frozen blueberries, do NOT thaw them before folding into the batter. Adding them frozen helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom and bleeding too much color into your beautiful cake. A light dusting of flour on frozen berries can also help them stay suspended.
- Don’t Overmix!: For a tender, light coffee cake, mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten too much, leading to a tough cake. A few small lumps in the batter are perfectly fine!
