Meet your new show-stopping brunch dessert: a plush, buttery Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake rippled with juicy blueberries, capped with cinnamon-brown sugar crumbs, and finished with silky ribbons of vanilla cream glaze. This is the kind of cake that stops conversation — a soft crumb that melts on the tongue, pockets of jammy fruit, and a crumb top that delivers just the right crunch. It looks luxe on the platter, slices cleanly, and tastes like the very best bakery case — only warmer, fresher, and proudly homemade.

The magic here is balance. The cake itself is tender from sour cream and buttermilk, which keep it moist for days. A quick stovetop blueberry compote intensifies the berry flavor without turning the crumb soggy, and we hold back some whole berries for bursts of freshness. The streusel is classic and generous — sandy at first, then delightfully crisp after baking. A simple vanilla glaze ties it together with that signature coffee-shop finish. It’s “simple but gourmet” through and through: familiar flavors, refined technique, effortless elegance.

Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake

• Bakery-style crumb: Sour cream + buttermilk create a plush, velvety interior that stays moist.
• Two-part blueberry layer: A quick compote for concentrated flavor plus whole berries for juicy pops.
• Generous streusel: Buttery cinnamon crumbs that bake into golden clusters.
• Clean slices: A sturdy but tender crumb means beautiful squares for brunch, bake sales, or gifting.
• Make-ahead friendly: Stays fresh, freezes well, and reheats like a dream.

Ingredients (9×13-inch pan, 12–16 servings)

Blueberry Layer

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Streusel Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake Batter

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Vanilla Cream Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream (plus 1–2 teaspoons as needed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt

Equipment

• 9×13-inch metal baking pan (or 10-inch round springform)
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Three mixing bowls
• Small saucepan
• Whisk, rubber spatula, and offset spatula
• Cooling rack

Step-by-Step Instructions

1) Prep

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9×13 metal pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides for easy lifting. Butter the parchment as well. Bring all cold ingredients to room temperature for the fluffiest crumb.

2) Make the Blueberry Compote

In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups blueberries (reserve 1/2 cup for later), sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the berries begin to release juices, 3–4 minutes. Mix cornstarch with water, then stir into the berries; simmer 30–60 seconds until glossy and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely. (Spread on a plate to speed this up.)

3) Mix the Streusel

In a bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in melted butter and vanilla until clumps form — you’re aiming for small pebbles and a few larger clusters. Refrigerate while you make the batter.

4) Whisk Dry Ingredients for the Cake

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

5) Cream Butter & Sugars

In a mixer bowl, beat softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Mix in sour cream.

6) Finish the Batter

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions (dry–wet–dry–wet–dry). Mix just until combined — do not overmix. The batter will be thick and silky.

7) Assemble

1. Spread half the batter into the prepared pan in an even layer.
2. Dollop the cooled blueberry compote over the batter and gently swirl with a butter knife; scatter the reserved 1/2 cup whole blueberries on top.
3. Spoon the remaining batter over the berries in large dollops and coax it to the corners with an offset spatula (it doesn’t need to fully cover — marbling is good).
4. Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the surface, squeezing some into bigger nuggets for texture.

8) Bake

Bake on the center rack for 38–45 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (avoid a pocket of blueberry). Rotate the pan once if your oven browns unevenly.

9) Cool & Glaze

Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then lift out using the parchment overhang. Whisk powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth and slowly pourable. Drizzle generously over the warm cake so the glaze settles into the streusel crags and softens the edges into glossy ribbons. Let set 10 minutes before slicing.

Pro Tips for a Bakery-Quality Result

• Room-temp dairy = lift: Cold ingredients weigh down the batter; room temperature gives you height and tenderness.
• Don’t skip the compote: It concentrates blueberry flavor so the crumb stays plush instead of waterlogged.
• Metal pan wins: Metal conducts heat better than glass, giving you a crisper streusel and even bake.
• Check early: Blueberry pockets can fool your tester — check multiple spots at the 38-minute mark.
• Glaze thickness: For dramatic drips, aim for the consistency of heavy cream. Add a teaspoon more cream at a time if it’s too thick.

Flavor & Texture Breakdown

Every bite lands in three acts: the top brings warm cinnamon crunch, the center bursts with berry—some silky from the compote, some bright and juicy from whole fruit—while the base is buttery and soft with a fine, close crumb thanks to the sour-cream-buttermilk duo. The glaze doesn’t just look beautiful; it adds a clean vanilla note that lifts the brown-sugar warmth of the streusel and balances the tart edge of the lemon-kissed berries. It’s rich but never heavy — the slice you reach for again, even after seconds.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing

• Make-ahead: Bake the day before, cool fully, and keep tightly covered at room temperature. Glaze just before serving for the freshest finish.
• Storage: Keeps 3 days at room temp (covered) or 5 days refrigerated. Warm slices in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
• Freezing: Freeze unglazed squares, double-wrapped, up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped at room temperature, warm briefly, then glaze.

Serving Ideas

• Brunch board: serve squares with fresh berries, whipped mascarpone, and lemon curd.
• Dessert plate: add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of softly sweetened cream.
• Café style: pair with strong coffee or an iced latte; the sweetness meets the bitterness perfectly.

Variations (Same Base, New Mood)

• Almond Blueberry: Swap 1 teaspoon vanilla in the batter for 1 teaspoon almond extract; sprinkle 1/3 cup sliced almonds over the streusel.
• Lemon Poppy: Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds to the dry ingredients and use a lemon glaze (replace cream with lemon juice).
• Mixed Berry: Use half raspberries or blackberries with the blueberries; keep the compote method the same.
• Maple Cinnamon Glaze: Replace 1 tablespoon cream with pure maple syrup for a cozy fall spin.

Troubleshooting

• Sunken center? Cake was underbaked or your compote was too thin. Reduce liquid next time and bake until crumbs, not batter, cling to the tester.
• Streusel melted? Butter was too warm. Chill the streusel 10–15 minutes before topping.
• Dry crumb? Overbaked. Check early and pull as soon as the middle sets with moist crumbs attached to the tester.

Quick Recipe Card

• Prep Time: 30 minutes (includes cooling the compote)
• Bake Time: 38–45 minutes
• Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 12–16 slices

1. Make blueberry compote; cool. Reserve 1/2 cup fresh berries.
2. Mix streusel; chill.
3. Whisk dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugars; add eggs, vanilla, sour cream. Alternate in dry ingredients and buttermilk.
4. Layer: half batter, compote + whole berries, remaining batter. Top with streusel.
5. Bake at 350°F for 38–45 minutes. Cool, glaze, slice, serve.

Conclusion

This Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake with Vanilla Cream Glaze nails the brief: simple ingredients, gourmet result. The crumb is lush, the fruit sings, the topping crackles, and the glaze gives that café-level finish that makes everyone ask for the recipe. It’s equally at home on a brunch table, tucked into a picnic basket, or plated as a casual dessert after dinner. Bake it once and it’ll join your forever rotation — the kind of signature recipe people request by name.