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!

Close up of two slices of blueberry cake stacked on top of each other.

Simple ingredients you’ll need

Flat-lay of ingredients in small dishes for the blueberry coffee cake.

The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the 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.

Close-up of one slice of cake, showing a golden fluffy sponge, layer of jammy blueberries and golden crumb topping.

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.

Two image collage showing the final crumble mixture and floured blueberries.

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.

Two image collage showing the cake batter being mixed in a bowl and the final thick batter.

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!

Two image collage of a spatula spreading the cake batter in a square baking pan, and floured blueberries being sprinkled on top.

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).

Two image collage sprinkling crumble on heavily floured blueberries, and final baked coffee cake.
Flat-lay of slices of blueberry cake showing the golden crumb topping and layers of the crumb cake.

Customizing this recipe

Can I make this crumble cake with other fruits?

Instead of blueberries, I’ve made variations of this cake with strawberries and apples. 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.

Can I bake this cake in a different pan?

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.

Slice of cake on plate with a bite taken out to reveal the fluffy texture of the cake.

More vegan blueberry desserts

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake

Vegan Blueberry Bread
Blueberry rolls with purple cream cheese frosting in baking tray.

Vegan Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Follow Rainbow Nourishments on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of our latest recipes!

Close up of two slices of blueberry cake stacked on top of each other.
5 from 8 reviews

Vegan Blueberry Coffee Cake

Yield: 16 slices
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Author: Anthea
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 afternoon tea with a cup of coffee!
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Crumb topping

Blueberry layer

Lemon Vanilla Cake

  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, optional (or add extra 1/2 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

  1. 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.
  2. Make sure your yogurt and milk are room temperature otherwise your batter won’t emulsify as well, and your batter may be too thick.
  3. 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.
Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.