Vegan blueberry coffee cake with a soft and fluffy lemon-infused sponge, layer of jammy blueberries and buttery crumb topping. This cake is perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea with a cup of coffee!
Simple ingredients you'll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Notes about the ingredients
Blueberries. I've tested this recipe with fresh and frozen blueberries and they both work well. If using frozen, you don't need to thaw them beforehand.
Dairy-free yogurt or apple sauce adds moisture to the cake. It also thickens the cake batter which helps prevent the blueberries and crumble from sinking, or the cake from collapsing.
Melted vegan butter for the crumble topping and oil for the cake. If you'd like a more flavorful cake, you can use half oil and half melted butter (the cake will just be a little denser).
Fresh lemon zest (optional) adds a hint of freshness to the cake, and perfectly complements the juicy blueberries.
Prepare the crumb topping and blueberries
To make the buttery crumble, mix all ingredients in a small bowl until combined, the set it aside in the fridge. Chilling the crumble helps firm up the mixture, and gives it a crispier texture when baked.
Then, toss the blueberries in a little flour and sugar until combined. The flour and sugar will absorb any excess blueberry juice in the oven and make a delicious jammy mixture.
Make the simple cake
The cake batter is easy to make as you mix the dry ingredients, and then the wet ingredients in one large bowl. For extra flavor, you can rub the sugar and lemon zest together before mixing all the dry ingredients. This releases more of the flavor and aroma of the lemon into the cake.
Make sure your yogurt and milk are at room temperature. Cold ingredients don't emulsify well with other ingredients which can leave pockets of oil/butter throughout the baked cake.
This recipe makes a thick batter, which is perfect for supporting the weight of the blueberries and crumble. Don't worry; thanks to the yogurt and oil, your cake will still be moist and have a tender crumb.
Assembling the lemon blueberry coffee cake
Pour or scoop the cake batter into your prepared baking pan and smooth the surface with a spatula or spoon.
Then, sprinkle the blueberries on top of the cake batter. Don't worry, you don't have to be precise; just like a blueberry buckle cake, this is meant to be a rustic dessert!
You might have some excess flour mixture from the blueberries. Sprinkle this on top of the blueberries, as it'll soak up any excess moisture during baking!
Finally, sprinkle the crumble on top. It will take around 65-70 minutes to bake your vegan blueberry coffee cake. If you use frozen berries, it'll take around 70-75 minutes. Due to the moisture of the blueberries, and the dense crumble, this cake takes some time to bake.
If your cake is browning quickly on top, carefully cover the top with aluminum foil. The cake is ready when you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. And, if you gently press the middle, it should bounce back slightly (the middle should have the same amount of pressure as the sides of the cake).
Customizing this recipe
Instead of blueberries, this cake works well with strawberries and par-cooked apples (with different baking times). I imagine raspberries and blackberries will work well however, I haven't tested them.
Or if you prefer a cake with no fruit, check out my classic vegan coffee cake.
You can also bake this blueberry crumb cake in a 9-inch square pan (it will take around 60-70 minutes to bake). A 9-inch round pan will also work well, but make sure you use a springform pan or one that has a loose bottom.
I don't recommend baking the cake in a smaller cake tin (such as a 7-inch) because it will take too long to bake.
Alternatively, I have several other blueberry recipes including a vegan blueberry cake (baked in a round pan without a crumble), and a blueberry bread baked in a loaf pan.
More vegan blueberry desserts
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Vegan Blueberry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Crumb topping
- ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose plain flour, spooned and leveled
- 6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar, or brown sugar
- 4 ½ tablespoons (65g) melted vegan butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Blueberry layer
- 2 ½ cups (375g) blueberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, do not defrost)
- 2 ½ tablespoons (20g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
Lemon Vanilla Cake
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, optional (or add extra ½ tsp of vanilla)
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose plain flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup (115g) dairy-free yogurt, or unsweetened applesauce, room temperature (note 2)
- ⅓ cup (85g) dairy-free milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (85g) neutral flavored oil, (note 3)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square tin with parchment paper, with some paper overhanging.
Make the crumb topping:
- Add all the crumb ingredients to a small mixing bowl and mix until combined. Set aside in the fridge until needed. (note 4)
Prepare the blueberries:
- Add the blueberries, flour and sugar to a medium bowl and toss until combined. Set aside at room temperature. If using frozen blueberries, store the mixture in the freezer.
Make the lemon vanilla cake:
- Optional: Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl and rub with your fingertips until fragrant.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) to the bowl and whisk until well combined. Add all the wet ingredients (yogurt, milk, oil, lemon juice and vanilla) and mix until just combined. Initially, the batter will be very thick, but it will loosen up after a few minutes.
Assemble and bake the cake:
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the blueberries on top of the batter (don't press them down). If there are any excess floury bits from the blueberries, sprinkle it on top. Then, sprinkle the crumble on top.
- Bake the cake for 65-70 (if you used fresh blueberries), or 70-75 minutes (if you used frozen blueberries). The cake is ready when the top is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling. If you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, it should have no wet batter on it. Or if you gently press the middle of the cake, it should bounce back and feel slightly firm.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into slices. Serve the cake as is, or with a scoop of ice cream. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The crumble will soften over time.
Notes
- For more depth of flavor in the cake, you can replace half of the oil with butter. Use 3 tablespoons (45g) oil and 3 tablespoons (45g) melted vegan butter.
- Make sure your yogurt and milk are room temperature otherwise your batter won't emulsify as well, and your batter may be too thick.
- If your butter is still hot, your crumble may resemble a thick paste rather than a crumbly mixture. Don't worry, because when you chill the mixture will firm it up and become more flakey.
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This turned out so well! Gorgeous to look at & to eat! Some of my cake seemed to come up through the berries but still delish!
Hi Christie, that's great to hear! I had a similar experience with the cake coming through 🙂 . Interestingly, in the US there's a very similar crumble cake called the 'blueberry buckle' because the cake 'buckles' through the crumble layer (so it seems to be a common experience). But, thanks so much for your lovely feedback, I appreciate it a lot!
The cake is incredibly delicious. Not too sweet and very fruity. I made it with sugar free dairy vanilla yoghurt as the only oat vanilla yoghurt I love, is not available anymore in my area and I don’t like coconut yoghurt.
The tea cake is easy and simple to make and is a hit as a gift to take for dinners at people’s places.
Will definitely keep it as one of my faves to make. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏼
Hi Izzy, I'm thrilled that you loved this cake and that you were able to make it with the ingredients that were accessible to you! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your kind feedback. I appreciate it a lot 🙂
Can I substitute King Arthur 1/1 Gluten Free flour for all purpose flour?
Hi Krista, it will probably work but I haven't tested it. Please let me know if you give it a go!