Simply Blueberry Coffee Cake (Gluten-Free)
This gluten-free blueberry coffee cake is soft and tender, packed with juicy blueberries, and finished with a crumbly cinnamon streusel. It’s an easy cake to make with simple ingredients, and you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries.
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Perfect snacking cake
This blueberry snacking cake with streusel topping is the kind of recipe you’ll want to make again and again. It’s easy to prepare, made with simple ingredients, and works just as well with fresh or frozen blueberries.
What makes this cake especially good is the contrast of textures: a tender, berry-filled crumb with juicy blueberries throughout and a buttery, crumbly streusel topping. It’s simple enough for everyday baking but feels a little more special than a plain blueberry cake.
Serve it for breakfast or brunch, as an afternoon snack, or whenever you’re in the mood for an easy blueberry dessert. If you love baking with blueberries, you can also try this blueberry loaf cake.
What goes in: ingredient notes
Some NOTES about the main ingredients of this recipe:
- Eggs: room-temperature eggs are better.
- Oil: a natural oil, like sunflower oil.
- Blueberries: fresh or frozen blueberries both work well. If using frozen blueberries, add them straight from the freezer without thawing. Thawed berries can release extra liquid and make the batter too loose.
How to make Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffee Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease or line an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch round baking pan. Set aside.
For the streusel:
Mix the gluten-free all-purpose flour and sugars in a medium bowl. Add the cold, diced butter and work it in with your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs. Place the crumble on a plate, and chill in the freezer.
For the cake:
Whisk gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until well incorporated (about 2 minutes). Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and beat until just combined (about 1minute). Gently fold in the blueberries. If you like, reserve some of the blueberries to scatter over the top before adding the streusel.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Scatter the reserved blueberries over the surface, then add the chilled streusel.
Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean without a trace of batter. Let the cake cool before removing it from the pan.
Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can freeze the cake in an airtight container or freezer bag. To reheat, bake for 5-10 minutes in a medium oven (350°F/ 180°).
Good to know: baking tips
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries work well. If using frozen ones, do not thaw them. Keep them frozen until you add them to the batter. Your batter could become runny if you thaw the berries and mix them in.
- Keep the streusel cold. Chilling the streusel before baking helps maintain its crumbly texture.
- Let the cake cool before cutting. The center will be more settled and easier to slice.
You might wonder: FAQ
Can I make this gluten-free coffee cake ahead of time? Yes, the cake can be made ahead and stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week. It can also be frozen.
For more berry recipes
Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffee Cake (with cinnamon streusel topping)
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- ⅔ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
For the cake:
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease or line an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch round baking pan. Set aside.
For the streusel:
- Mix the gluten-free all-purpose flour and sugars in a medium bowl. Add the cold, diced butter and work it in with your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs. Place the crumble on a plate and chill in the freezer.
For the cake:
- Whisk gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until well incorporated (about 2 minutes). Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and beat until just combined (about 1minute). Gently fold in the blueberries. If you like, reserve some of the blueberries to scatter over the top before adding the streusel.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Scatter the reserved blueberries over the surface, then add the chilled streusel.
- Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, without a trace of batter. Let the cake cool before removing it from the pan.
Notes
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