Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake is a lightly sweet, incredibly moist coffee cake that’s easy to make from scratch and perfect for weekend brunch, morning coffee or dessert any time. The streusel crumb topping adds a bakery-style crunch and the layer of fresh berries in the center is a delicious surprise!
If you have plenty of fresh berries on hand, try my Blueberry Baked Oatmeal, too!

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Note: Some of the links in this recipe post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I make a small commission from Amazon if you link to and purchase the item. The affiliate process never affects your cost and I only link to products that I use and highly recommend.
⭐ Why Melinda Loves Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake
It's an impressive coffee cake to serve, but like my Homemade Apple Cake recipe, it's very easy to make.
This is a great recipe to enjoy fresh blueberries!
Like my recipe for Croissant Bread Pudding, it's a sweet treat that can be served for breakfast, brunch or dessert.
🍋 Ingredients to Have on Hand
Like your favorite blueberry muffins, Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake is made with kitchen staples - and berries! Here's what you need on hand to make the coffee cake:
Fresh Blueberries: I like to use fresh blueberries in this recipe. But frozen berries are also an option. If you opt for frozen berries, allow them to thaw for about a half hour, then rinse and pat the berries dry with paper towels. That will help keep the color of the blueberries from spreading throughout your cake batter.
Lemon: You'll use all of the juice and the zest from one whole lemon when you make the topping.
Almond Extract: The almond extract flavor complements the moist, buttery cake perfectly! You could swap it for vanilla extract if that's what you have on hand.
Blueberry Jam: Combine the (affiliate link) blueberry jam with sweetened condensed milk and lemon zest for the most incredible coffee cake topping!
Pecans: You can substitute walnuts for the same amount of pecans if you prefer. I have made this cake using walnuts and it's delicious, though I like the slightly softer texture and sweetness of pecans. ,
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📋 Step-By-Step Instructions
(Affiliate link) A 9" springform pan is ideal for baking Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake, but please scroll down to the Recipe FAQs for other baking pan options.
Step 1: Chop the pecans and blend them with brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and cold butter. Set aside in a small dish. Make the cake batter and spread two-thirds of it in the greased (affiliate link) 9" springform baking pan.
Step 2: Sprinkle two-thirds of the reserved pecan mixture on top of the cake batter.
Step 3: Top with all of the blueberries and push gently to secure the berries in the batter.
Step 4: Dollop the remaining batter on top of the blueberries and use the tip of a knife to smooth the batter so it is spread evenly over the berries. Sprinkle the remaining pecan mixture on top and place the baking pan in the preheated oven.
Step 5: The cake bakes in just under an hour, allowing plenty of time to prepare the blueberry topping. It's super easy! Blueberry jam is combined with sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice and a touch of salt in a saucepan on the stove.
Step 6: Bring the topping ingredients to a boil and whisk until about half the moisture evaporates and the sauce has thickened. Serve the topping warm. I like to spoon about a tablespoon of topping over each serving of blueberry cake.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, just be sure the sides of the pan are tall enough. You can use a 9" x 9" baking dish as long as the sides of the pan measure 3" in height; I don't recommend using a 9" round cake pan. Standard cake pans are only 2" in height and not quite tall enough to hold the ingredients.
Sure! If you swap the blueberries for raspberries, blackberries, strawberries or a combination of all, you may also want to swap out the blueberry jam for one that aligns with the substitutions.
Though it's tempting, try not to use more blueberries than the recipe calls for; that can affect cooking time.
🍽 Storage
After baking, Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For best results, store the topping separately in a covered, airtight container in the refrigerator and warm it up before serving. If you'd like to keep the coffee cake fresh for longer, store the cake in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
👩🏻🍳 More Baking Recipes
Here are a few more baking recipes that I hope you will enjoy! Whether you are looking for a sweet treat, a side dish for brunch or biscuits for dinner, these recipes are family-favorites!
- Tiramisu Cake for Dessert
- Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
- Baked Vanilla Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk
If you make Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake, I'd love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a 🌟 star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Corinna says
I can't wait to try this Melinda!! I love everything you create. So yummy.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Thank you Corinna! This coffee cake is a winner and I hope you love it!
Tyanne says
This cake was so amazing! I love baking with blueberries.