Soft, sweet, and packed with blueberries and a slightly crisp, sweet streusel topping, this melt-in-your-mouth blueberry breakfast cake is the best way to enjoy cake for breakfast.
Too often it slips my mind that I am no longer living in a household of 8 and have, for the past year been cooking and baking for a household of just 2.
Throughout the first 24 years of my life, I had grown accustomed to doubling (even tripling) recipes, not halving them, and the moment I removed this warm, 13×9 pan of streusel-laden, blueberry-spangled breakfast cake out of my oven this weekend I realized that I possibly would have done better to have exercised an 8×8 or 9×9 pan instead, and I might actually have just found myself with too much cake on my hands.
Mostly, I was worried that, like with so many other breakfast foods, this one might not hold over well into the next day when I could finally hand off the bulk of it to my family to enjoy.
I was (pleasantly) wrong.
While I do recommend nuking your leftover slice in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it before digging in, this cake carries over wonderfully to the next day and would make an excellent make-ahead potluck breakfast or brunch dish.
Hot on the heels of my super soft cookie bars, I decided to experiment further with cream cheese in place of butter, and the results did not disappoint. This cake is soft, slightly dense (but not at all dry) with a melt-in-your-mouth texture beneath a crisped cap of oat streusel and pops of plump blueberries.
And while I may tout it as a breakfast food (look at those blueberries– the antioxidants… and the oats!) ultimately it is a cake (one that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, at that), though arguably no less nutritious than most muffin recipes (that’s not saying much in terms of nutrition, by the way).
I highly recommend a generously carved square as the perfect Monday-morning antidote.
Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk ( or ½ cup regular milk mixed with either ½ Tbsp vinegar OR 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice stirred together and allowed to sit for 5 minutes.)
- 1 1/2 cup blueberries
Streusel Topping
- 3/4 cup instant oats (uncooked)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease and flour a 13x9 baking pan.
- In KitchenAid mixer, or with electric mixer in large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese.
- Beat in sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of mixing bowl with rubber spatula.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- In separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
- Gradually add flour mixture to wet mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until all of the flour mixture and buttermilk have been combined.
- Fold in blueberries.
- Spread into prepared pan (batter will be thick) and prepare Streusel.
- To make streusel, use a fork to whisk together your oats, brown sugar, flour and salt.
- Stir in melted butter until well-combined (mixture will be crumbly).
- Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter.
- Bake on 350F for 40-50 minutes (check doneness with a toothpick inserted in center).
- Allow to cool before cutting and serving.
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Barb says
Hi Sam- made the Blueberry Coffee Cake this morning for the first time- absolutely delicious!! Not too sweet and just the right amount of blueberries. We have a special needs daughter and we know something is a winner when she takes the first bite and says “awesome”- that is her word for all things good! Thanks for the “awesome” recipe!
Sam says
Thank you so much, Barb! I am so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Pilar says
Absolutely brilliant recipe!! I have made it for colleagues at work twice now in a week, as the first day it just disappeared within minutes and not everyone got to try it!!
I substituted the cream cheese for mascarpone, as I had extra from another recipe. Just delicious!!
Sam says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four says
this is just the kind of thing I love to wake up to and have a cup of coffee with! I adore the streusel topping, and extra points for the fact that it’s still yummy the next day!!
Sam says
Thank you, Beeta! It’s fairly addictive 🙂
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I forget that it’s just my husband and I too… I am always making WAY to much of everything! But, too much of this blueberry cake can NEVER be a bad thing! Plus, I’m not sure it is possible to have too much of something this YUM! I want to rename this Blueberry ALL-THE-TIME Cake 🙂 Because, legit, I want to eat this at all times! Looks absolutely delicious, Sam!! Cheers, girlfriend! <3
Sam says
I love the rename idea!!! Haha, thanks so much, Cheyanne! 🙂
Dani @ Dani California Cooks says
This looks super delicious! I’ve baked with cream cheese before when I’ve made rugelach, and it gives the best flavor.
Sam says
It really does! Thanks, Dani! 🙂
Annie @ The Garlic Diaries says
BREAKFAST cake?? Um, yes please. Yes please times a million. I want this so bad right now!
Sam says
Haha, thank you, Annie!!
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu says
That looks wonderful Sam! Your photos are amazing!!!
Sam says
Thanks so much, Jessica!! 😀
Sues says
No such thing as too much cake, especially one like that that you can eat for breakfast!! This looks just lovely 🙂
Amanda says
This looks so delectable. I love breakfast cakes like this, especially with that lovely topping. Absolutely delicious.
Sam says
Thank you, Amanda!! 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
This looks unreal! Always down to have cake for breakfast 🙂
Sam says
Thank you, Medha!!
Sahra says
Oh that looks absolutely delicious!!
XO Sahra
Que Sera Sahra
Sam says
Thank you so much, Sahra!