Blueberry Coffee Cake
Get your morning started off right with a slice of Blueberry Coffee Cake!
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What is your favorite movie? I’m talking that movie that you can watch a hundred times and still enjoy it. For me, it’s probably Gladiator. Or perhaps The Goonies. I remember when I saw Gladiator for the first time in the theater. It came out in 2000, so that was just a couple years ago. Ok, maybe more than a couple…but it feels like just a couple!
I remember the scene when the camera zoomed into the recreated version of Rome. I’m pretty sure I sat there with my mouth open. And got chills. I’ve always been a Roman history buff, so the chance to “visit” ancient Rome via the movie was incredible. (Regular readers might remember that I actually majored in Classical Studies in college and later taught Latin for several years.) Sure, some of the historical aspects of Gladiator weren’t entirely accurate, but that’s ok. I can still sit down and enjoy watching that movie.
Speaking of movie theaters, though, have you guys noticed that the tubs of popcorn and soda just seem to keep getting bigger and bigger? (And more and more expensive.) We rarely go out to the movies…especially now that Robbie is part of our family. But the one time a year that we do go, I’m always shocked at the amount of popcorn and soda you get. Not to mention the 10-pound box of gummy bears. I love some good buttered popcorn when watching a movie…but do I need a 2-gallon sized bucket of it? Nope.
With that said, if movie theaters sold over-sized blueberry muffins, then I think I might actually be on board with that. From my earliest childhood memories, I’ve always loved blueberry muffins. Especially the ‘bakery-style’ ones with the crumbled streusel on top. My mom would occasionally make blueberry muffins on the weekends, and those were always the best days! (And for the record, leftover blueberry muffins are just as good cold.)
I set out to make some blueberry muffins the other day, but then I decided to turn the whole thing into a Blueberry Coffee Cake instead. A large coffee cake covered with plenty of streusel topping. Coffee cakes are another favorite around here, and I’ve actually debated getting a coffee cake for my birthday instead of the traditional birthday cake. Hey, as long as it’s got a candle in it, it counts!
This Blueberry Coffee Cake took a bit longer to bake than it’s muffin cousins, but it’s so worth the wait. Just don’t pick off all the streusel topping while you’re waiting for it to cool. Not that I speak from past experience or anything…Enjoy!
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1¼ cups sour cream
- 2½ cups frozen blueberries
For the Vanilla Glaze
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk
- ½ Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Streusel
- Using a medium bowl, add sugars, cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir until well combined.
- Add the melted butter; stir until well combined.
- Add the flour; stir until well combined. Set Streusel aside.
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour (or spray with nonstick spray) a 9”x3” round cake pan. Set pan aside. (See note below.)
- In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined; set mixture aside.
- Using a countertop mixer, cream together the sugars and butter until light and fluffy (~2-3 minutes on medium speed).
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add vanilla, lemon juice and sour cream; mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low until just combined.
- Fold the frozen blueberries into the batter.
- Pour half of the batter into greased cake pan. Crumble half of the Streusel on top of batter. Pour remaining batter on top. Finally, crumble remaining Streusel on top of batter. (Tip: Leave some bigger chunks of Streusel on top!)
- Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Open oven and tent the top of the cake with a piece of tin foil to prevent the streusel from burning. Continue baking for another 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out mostly clean.
- Place cake on cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
For the Vanilla Glaze
- Using a small bowl, whisk all Glaze ingredients together until smooth. Once cake has cooled completely, drizzle glaze on top.
I would have to say that To Kill A Mockingbird is my all time favorite movie. My hubby and I have watched it a ton of time and I enjoy each time we watch it. As for the blueberry coffee cake, I think I could probably eat the whole thing. Blueberry muffins or coffee cake I would say are one of my favorites too, Your coffee cake looks wonderful.
You know, I’ve actually never seen the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird. I’ve read the book, and it was great…but I’ll need to put the movie on my list! On a side note, what did you think about Go Set a Watchman? Now I just want to curl up with a slice of this blueberry coffee cake and a good book! 🙂
David, you are onto something here – I think you should sell this whole “over-sized blueberry muffins” sold in theatres idea to a movie theatre – in fact, you should be the one making these oversized muffins which will be sold at theatres! I adore a blueberry muffin with a streusel topping so much! You aren’t kidding about the sizes and prices of popcorn/soda at movie theatres going up – Lil Shashi and I usually smuggle in homemade goodies and drinks to snack on – but, if I could buy an oversized blueberry muffin or a tub filled with THIS blueberry coffee cake, why, I’d stop my smuggling ways! Your pictures are fantastic and thanks a lot – now I want a second breakfast! GAH!
🙂
Yes! I should open a chain of bakeries located in movie theaters. And I should vent the ovens directly into the lobby! (You know bakeries in crowded places actually do that…) I might need some help managing this empire of bakeries, and I seem to recall you working at a bakery in college. Coincidence? Doubt it!
This looks SO good…there’s no way I’ll be able to resist picking off at least a few “loose” pieces of streusel while it’s cooling. And I actually DID request a coffee cake as my birthday cake just last week!
Haha…”loose” pieces? Or do you mean those pieces that you sneak off the top when no one is looking? (It’s ok, Mara…I do the same thing!) Wait…you did the birthday cake-coffee cake, too?? And we both are Latin folks? Coincidence? Doubtful! 🙂
Hi David! The ingredients for the cake are suspiciously familiar… 🙂 You know I love coffee cake and I am particularly fond of blueberries. I found frozen Maine blueberries a few years back and I always have a bag in the freezer. It just so happens we are in need of something sweet as Gary has just about finished off the coconut topped shortbread bars I made last week!
Yes! Maine blueberries are totally the best! Well, I am partial to the ones we pick at a local farm here, but we haven’t had time to go berry picking lately. (Imagine that!) Well this timing is perfect isn’t it, Dorothy! I bet you’ll like this coffee cake…and I bet it reminds you of another delicious treat. Perhaps one that involves peaches? 🙂
Favourite movie? Gee…it’s hard to pick one, but I know hubby and I can watch 40 Year Old Virgin and Guardians of the Galaxy over and over and over again. I totally know what you’re saying about the popcorn and pop getting bigger. When we went to the theatre last time, I literally wanted a small popcorn. None to be found! Seriously? Hubby doesn’t care for popcorn and I don’t want to be eating a ginormous bag myself. Anyway, no popcorn for Dawn. Just too much. I’d much rather watch a movie in the comfort of my own home, but will go to the theatre if it is something I reaaaally wanna see 🙂
Ok, this blueberry coffee cake! Yes! I love blueberries too, David. My in laws just gave me a bunch and my grandfather just gave me some more today. So I’m stocked for a while. Woo hoo! Just love them and they are so healthy too. I know one good use for them…this cake! Looks and sounds just perfect and you know that I just love the lemon in there. Pinned! Have a great week!
It totally is unfair to ask you to pick your favorite movie, Dawn…there are just too many good ones out there. 40 Year Old Virgin is a good one for sure! That stinks that you couldn’t get any popcorn at all…whatever happened to a small? Now a small is a medium, and it’s enough to snack on for the next 3 days!
Yup, this popcorn….Once we saw a lady having bought a huge (I mean HUGE) bucket of popcorn and something else. So we movie didn’t start yet, and that pure lady happened to sneeze very loudly which somehow caused a powerful vibration of her hands and that popcorn container. Since it was almost full, quite a good portion of the treats ended up on the floor, seats, and some occasional neighborhoods. Bottom line (1): Seat far from the people with popcorn. Bottom line(2): don’t buy popcorn – grab a blueberry muffine or cake since its not so dangerous for surroundings. Unfortunately, they don’t sell muffins/cakes, I think. And talking about this dessert, well, another delicious coffee cake and once again it doesn’t have any coffee:) Keep forgetting this name is decieving. I think you should adjust the recipe next time by adding a little of coffee – I think it would be fantastic!
Hahaha…I’m just picturing this poor lady sneezing into her tub of popcorn which then causes a rainstorm of popcorn to rain down everywhere. It’s almost like a cartoon! 🙂 Ok, ok…just for you, I’m going to put some coffee in that next coffee cake, Ben! That, and I think we should start a chain of bakeries that operates in movie theaters. You in??
Yum, this looks so good David! drooling over the streusel!
Thanks so much, Manali! I think I could eat an entire bowl of just that streusel! 🙂
One of my favourite movies is ‘Chocolate’ with Juliette Binoche – the only problem is the huge craving for chocolates after watching it 😉 Not really a big problem as long as you are prepared … It must be amazing to watch Gladiator with your historical knowledge! Completely understand the attraction! Would love a piece or two of your blueberry coffee cake for breakfast with lots and lots of streusel on top. Surely coffee cakes makes for a great birthday cake with a candle on top 🙂
That’s a good movie, Miriam! I remember watching it kinda thinking that it was strange…but then I totally appreciated it. It’s funny how some movies are like that. I haven’t seen it in years, though, so I should see if I can track down a copy of it! And now I want to just curl up and watch movies all day…and eat coffee cake, of course! 🙂
Hey David, I left a long comment yesterday and somehow it didn’t show 🙁 Oh well! I’ll try again – The two movies we can watch over and over are 40 Year Old Virgin and Guardians of the Galaxy – love both of those! And the sound track to Guardians of the Galaxy is fantastic – you should check it out 😉
Yes, I’ve noticed the larger size of popcorn and pop and the movies and it’s crazy! We went the other week and I just wanted a small size popcorn and there was none to be found. Crazy, right? Their ‘regular’ size was HUGE. Too much for me, especially considering hubby don’t care for popcorn. And the prices are nuts! I’d much rather sit in the comfort of my living room and watch and movie any day!
I absolutely LOVE blueberries. I have a TON home in the fridge, freshly picked and can’t wait to use them! This coffee cake is just perfect and love the touch of lemon in there! Pinned, of course 🙂
Ah! I found your comments, Dawn…they were lurking around in the spam folder. Hopefully I’ve fixed the problem. I’m so sorry about that…ugh, technology… 🙂
I’d be all over this coffee cake if they sold it in theaters! Heck, I’ll be all over it when I make it at home! 🙂 I love blueberries, I love coffee cake and I love starting my day out with something scrumptious! 🙂
We’re totally on the same page here, Kathy…I think starting the day off with a slice of coffee cake is the key to having a great day! Heck, I’ve been known to start and finish a day with a slice of coffee cake. 🙂 Thanks!!
My favorite movie is Groundhog Day – literally obsessed and no matter how many times I watch it, it always makes me laugh.
Love that you set out to make muffins and ended up with this amazing coffee cake! I would choose this any day!
Ohhh…that’s a great one, Ashley! I can watch that one again…and again…and again. 🙂 Hey, any day that involves coffee cake is pretty much a win in my book! Thanks so much!
This looks so delicious!! My kids were just asking me to make a coffee cake yesterday and they would love the blueberry additions to this one! I bet they would also love to eat all of this while watching The Princess Bride, one of my favorites!! I watched it with my 7 & 9 year old girls the other day for the first time and they didn’t make a peep the whole movie (quite unusual for my kids haha).
Yes! This one is definitely a keeper, Alaina…and I’ve eaten my share of coffee cakes! 🙂 Princess Bride. Oh man, that’s a great one! My wife thinks that movie is strange, but I’m always telling her it’s a classic. In fact, now I want to go watch it again…with a slice of coffee cake, of course! Thanks so much!
Ooooo muffins that turn into coffee cakes? I am in! Love this idea David. We haven’t been to the movies in a long time either since Elliott joined us. But I miss the theatre popcorn sometimes. My never get tired of watching move is Pretty Woman!! And Love Actually. I never get tired of those 🙂
Haha…if only they made a wand that we could tap on a muffin to turn it into a coffee cake! Wouldn’t that be a fun toy? 🙂 Love Actually!! That’s definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. I always try to watch that one during the holidays at least once. 🙂 Thanks, Z! Hope you and the crew are doing well!
WOW! This looks so delicious and flavorful! Wish I could grab a slice right now 🙂
Thank you so much, Kushi! This coffee cake is definitely a favorite around here! 🙂
Goonies has to be one of my favourite films too – it’s such a classic. Although, I haven’t seen it in a couple of years. Maybe something to watch this weekend!
The price of snacks at the cinema is insane – we always take our own in and have a bit of a picnic haha.
I need to make the most of blueberries whilst they are around and make some of this!
Yup, I could watch Goonies at least once a week for the rest of my life. So many good quotes in there! “Hey, you guuuyyysssss” 🙂 Definitely watch it this weekend, Dannii…along with some tasty snacks!
Oooh this looks so good! I haven’t made a coffee cake in awhile, and I totally would like a slice of this right now.
And yeah, I’m the girl that sneaks in snacks in my purse at the movie theater. It’s so much healthier and cheaper!
Nicole! Does this mean you are back from Ireland? 🙂 I can’t say this coffee cake ranks highly in the healthy category, but it’s right up there near the top in the delicious category…plus, it’s homemade so that means it’s even better! Thanks!