Blueberries are in season, and I live in Maine. So I had to drop everything and make a beautiful blueberry recipe this week. The woman at my local farm stand told me they’re “so good this year”, so I had high expectations. Luscious blue-purple gems, little lowbush blueberries, like straight out of Blueberries for Sal. After an intense ravioli recipe last week, I knew I wanted to make something sweet. So, I created my ultimate blueberry sour cream coffee cake.

Last year I used highbush blueberries from the farmers market to make blueberry chocolate chip cookies. A delectable combination of rich, sweet blueberries, bursting with juice. And dark, melted chocolate. I had a chocolate-covered blueberry phase in college, and the flavor is still magical to me. So I knew this week I wanted to create another sweet blueberry recipe to complement the intense, vibrant flavor of my beloved Maine blueberries. 

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I decided to stay away from chocolate, just for now, and focus on a breakfast treat. Blueberry sour cream coffee cake. Coffee cake is one of my favorite things. An excuse to eat dessert for breakfast. It usually has a crisp and sugary streusel baked on top. I found inspiration in this texture combination for my all chocolate coffee cake last year. But this time I wanted to pair my blueberries with citrus and spices. And a crunchy, sugary streusel topping with plenty of butter and brown sugar.

I started the week with tacos for dinner and good sleep. Then, on Wednesday, I woke up bright and early to pick my grandmother up from a medical appointment. After I left her house, I stopped downtown at our favorite farm stand. I was excited to bake after a long morning. My idea of relaxation. So I hoped to find blueberries for sale. When I entered, I found a half dozen people pacing around, viewing the vibrant vegetables, herbs, and fruits.

Fresh Maine Blueberries

I snuck my way into the back corner and admired the turquoise and red pints of strawberries. Then, I noticed hefty plastic boxes of blueberries for sale under them. They were the small variety, called lowbush blueberries, which are sweeter and more vibrant in color. Some of them still had stems on them – a sign that they were just picked. I chose the nicest looking bunch and waited my turn to pay. There was a man in a white chef coat. I chatted with the cashier and she told me that their blueberries were especially good this year.

I drove home with so much excitement and admiration for my bucket of blue jewels. I dreamed of my blueberry chocolate chip cookies. The blueberry and lemon custards I made on an island art retreat years ago as an assistant chef. One woman said it was the best custard she’d ever had. So I shuffled through recipe ideas throughout the morning. I got a chance to rest, eat lunch, and then I tied my black apron around my waist, ready to get creative. 

Blueberry Muffin Batter

I started with my muffin recipe. Which I’ve been developing, but haven’t shared yet. I decided to make a blueberry muffin cake, essentially dumping the entire muffin batter into a cake pan. But I wanted it to have streusel on top, filled with warm spices. The cake must be packed with blueberries. Fresh pops of citrus and sugar. So I edited my recipe and added sour cream to make a tender, delicious blueberry sour cream coffee cake. 

I love a sweet treat in the morning. So I couldn’t wait to have slices of a blueberry treat for breakfast throughout the week. I had another doctor’s appointment the next day. A 3 hour drive and an early wake up call which sadly caused me to miss the farmers market for the first time in 2 years. I started by mixing my streusel. I usually make streusels by eye, not by weight, and just feel how much flour I need to incorporate into my sugar and butter. It’s basically just like the start of a scone dough. 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I used rock sugar, which my mom got me years ago. I’m still working my way through it. But I love to put it on top of muffins for a nice crunch. Or to sprinkle it on top of pie crusts for texture. I also used cold butter to keep the streusel short and crumbly, and salt and spices for flavor. I decided too, looking at my mound of blueberries, to mash some into the butter and sugar. To turn the top of the cake a pink/purple color. Then I finished with flour and mixed it with my fingers.

After that I started on my blueberry sour cream coffee cake batter. It’s an untraditional recipe, which I developed for making brown butter muffins. Essentially it’s like brown butter cookie dough with less flour. I start with brown butter and infuse it with spices and citrus to up the flavor. This time I used cinnamon, ginger, and orange zest. I decided bake my big bowl of muffin batter as one thick cake.

Vanilla, Citrus, and Brown Butter

It sounded heavenly. Layers of orange zest, bright sweet berries, rich brown butter, and fresh vanilla. I started by melting a stick of butter in a pan until it browned. Then, I added cinnamon and vanilla and citrus zest and stirred. Next, like cookie dough, I let it cool slightly, then added white sugar and brown sugar. Next I added sour cream, which stirred into a creamy light brown batter.

Sour cream is perfect for coffee cake. It infuses desserts with a rich taste and a light, fluffy texture. I added a little extra for good measure. Along with an egg and vanilla. I whisked it up into a golden pourable batter that I could have eaten on its own. Then I started to measure my dry ingredients. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I dumped all the dry ingredients into my batter after sifting it. Along with 2 cups of fresh Maine blueberries. 

Folding in Fresh Blueberries

I added the berries and the flour at the same time to make sure they didn’t burst and stain the batter. Sometimes it turns an ugly grey if you mix blueberry cake batter too much. The flour helps the berries hold in their juices while they mix. Soon I had a thick cake batter speckled with an abundance of berries. The perfect texture. Like a fluffy, tender vanilla cake. I could smell the brown butter, the vanilla, the spices. The batter didn’t stain or turn grey at all.

I found a springform pan that’s usually only reserved for cheesecake and greased it with a bit of butter I had sitting out. You can add parchment paper too, to be extra safe, but I had no problem. I got my streusel out of the fridge, too. And I happily sprinkled it all over the top of my cake batter. Dispersing the large chunks evenly with sandy small bits. Making sure to cover the whole blueberry sour cream coffee cake.

Baking My Cake

All that was left to do was bake it. So I popped the cake into my preheated oven and cleaned up a bit. I worried about falling asleep while waiting, because it took about 40 minutes to cook. But quickly after leaving the room I could smell nothing but caramelizing sugar. Vanilla. Spices. And juicy cooked berries. I love blueberry recipes so much, especially baked goods, and feel lucky to live in the blueberry state. This is kind of like a blueberry buckle. Which I made a few years ago – a tender cake with a spiced streusel crust. I think about it every year. 

But this recipe goes a step further with citrus and berries in the streusel. The brown butter also adds so much depth of flavor to an otherwise vanilla-forward cake batter. And I packed it full of berries, which were bursting and roasting in the oven each second. Finally, the timer went off, and I pulled out my cake. I used a toothpick to test it, and it came out clean. The top was perfectly golden brown and even in color. The streusel was caramelized and crisp.

Tender Blueberry Cake

The hardest part was waiting for it to cool. After about 30 minutes I couldn’t stand it anymore. So I ran into the kitchen and flipped open the springform pan, revealing golden caramelized cake edges. It smelled tantalizing. And quickly I sliced a piece. It was so big that I knew I’d have plenty of slices still. It pulled out easily and I studied the tender, perfectly-baked crumb. Polka dots of dark berries throughout. A crown of crispy sugary crumbs on top.

After a long day I felt elated to sit down with my plate of blueberry sour cream coffee cake. I hoped I could taste all the touches I added. Brown butter, vanilla, spices, and citrus. The first bite was a celebration of fresh blueberries. Mellowed slightly by cooking. The cake melted on my tongue and quickly I was swimming in a swirl of spiced brown butter cake. Each bite was enriched by the crunchy topping. It’s not just a soft, fluffy cake. The texture contrast is so nice. There’s also a pop of sea salt to balance the sweetness.

A Long Week and Cake for Breakfast

I’m thinking of making a blueberry jam or pastry cream to take this over the top. Because I want even more fresh blueberry flavor. On its own this cake is incredible, texturally balanced, and filled with flavor. But it’s light enough to eat for breakfast. I could eat it every day. I’m dreaming of toasting a piece in the morning with sour and sweet blueberry jam. Maple whipped cream.

I’m writing this on Thursday after another exhausting, long day with an early start. I did a ton of errands and drove for what felt like ages. So I couldn’t wait to come home and sink into my bed. To have a couple bites of blueberry sour cream coffee cake. Tomorrow I’m going to cook it in butter like they do at diners with blueberry muffins. And I’m going to make blueberry jam. With a touch of lemon. I can’t wait..

Enjoying Summer in Maine

If you get a chance to make this delicious fruity coffee cake, let me know! It feels like such a celebration of summer in Maine. Which I’m fully luxuriating in right now. Sitting outside. Tending to my garden. Grilling. Cold drinks. Evening breezes. I’m trying to be grateful for it while it lasts, even though some days are hotter than hell. And I’m looking forward to slowing down for the rest of the week. Having blueberry coffee cake in the morning. And catching up on some TV.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoy my paintings and recipes, be sure to check out my Etsy for 100’s of food-themed art prints and recipe cards. Be sure to use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off.