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Pioneer Woman Blueberry Coffee Cake

Pioneer Woman Blueberry Coffee Cake - recipe card
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A tender, buttery coffee cake studded with juicy blueberries and topped with a crisp, cinnamon-spiked streusel. This recipe delivers a perfectly moist crumb with a golden, crunchy finish, ideal for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Streusel Topping:
  • 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • For the Cake:
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (140g) fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or an 8×8-inch square baking pan with butter or non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper for easy removal.
  2. Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the cold cubed butter. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse, pea-size crumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sifting or whisking ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed, preventing dense pockets in the cake.
  4. In a large bowl, beat 1/4 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup sugar with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula at least once to ensure even creaming.
  5. Add the room-temperature egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point — that’s fine, the sour cream will bring it together.
  6. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the sour cream, mixing just until combined after each addition. Repeat with remaining flour and sour cream, ending with the last third of flour. Mix only until you see no more dry streaks — overmixing will develop gluten and make the cake tough.
  7. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter using a rubber spatula. Make just a few strokes — you want the berries evenly distributed without crushing them, which would turn the batter blue-gray.
  8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping evenly over the top, covering the entire surface. The streusel will sink slightly during baking, forming a beautiful crunchy crust.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes (45-50 minutes in a loaf pan) until the top is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center (avoiding blueberries) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The edges should pull away from the sides of the pan.
  10. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if needed, then lift the cake out using the parchment sling and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing, at least 30 minutes more — slicing too early will cause the cake to crumble.
  11. For clean slices, use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. Wipe the blade clean between cuts to avoid smearing blueberry streaks across the crumb.
  12. Dust with optional powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Serve with whipped cream or a dollop of Greek yogurt for extra richness.

Notes

Store leftover coffee cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the fully cooled cake (without dusting) wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat slices in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5-8 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds. If using frozen blueberries, toss them with 1 teaspoon of flour before folding into the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

Nutrition

Keywords: blueberry coffee cake, coffee cake with blueberries, Pioneer Woman recipe, streusel coffee cake, breakfast cake, American coffee cake, berry cake, sour cream coffee cake, easy coffee cake, blueberry streusel

Find it online: https://inspiredbypioneerwoman.com/pioneer-woman-blueberry-coffee-cake/