Vanilla and Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cake

By Gaby

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Thomas is ditching me for a boys weekend in Vegas. So I’ve decided to throw a big fabulous Easter Brunch party. It will be complete with Champagne, Bloody Mary’s, Frittata’s, Cranberry White Chocolate Scones and these Mini Vanilla and Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cakes. And he’ll be sorry he missed it!

Pink dish with crumb cake muffins and chocolate chips.

Why this is the best crumb cake recipe:

These Vanilla and Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cakes are the perfect sweet treat. The crumb topping is extra delicious, I could literally eat it by itself. Oh wait, I totally did that when making these. And the white soft buttermilk cake is perfectly spongy and light. Plus the addition of the lemon zest throughout the recipe makes these cakes just scream spring time!

Ingredients

  • Cake
  • AP flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Butter 
  • White sugar
  • Egg
  • Vanilla Bean seeds
  • Buttermilk
  • Fresh blueberries
  • AP flour
  • Light brown sugar
  • Sea salt
  • Lemon zest
  • Unsalted Butter

Variations / Subs

  • Buttermilk ** If you don’t have buttermilk on hand just use regular milk with a squeeze of lemon juice added into it**
  • If you don’t want to use blueberries I love to sub with raspberries

Step by Step

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F
  • Make the lemon crumb topping by combining 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest with the melted butter. Using your fingers, mix it around until its crumbly and set aside.
  • Butter and flour 2 cupcake tins.
  • Toss the blueberries with the 2 tbsp of flour and set aside
  • In small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
  • In a large mixer combine the butter and sugar until pale yellow, add the zest, eggs, and vanilla bean and beat well for an additional 2-3 minutes making sure to scrape down the sides.
  • Alternate adding the flour, and the buttermilk until all is combined, making sure to scrape down the sides during the process.
  • Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter into each cupcake mold. Top with some of the floured blueberries. Sprinkle the top with some of the crumb mixture.
  • Bake for approximately 30 – 35 minutes, or until the cake is light and fluffy.
  • Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

FAQ’s:

Q: What’s the difference between crumb cake and coffee cake?
A: Crumb cake and coffee cake are two delicious breakfast pastries that will make you the envy of any brunch gathering.

Crumb Cake:

  • A crumb cake is a type of cake that is topped with a crumbly streusel mixture made of sugar, butter, and flour.
  • The crumb topping is the defining feature of a crumb cake, and it is usually quite thick, taking up a large portion of the cake’s surface area.
  • The cake itself is typically a tender, buttery yellow cake.
  • Crumb cakes are often served as a breakfast pastry or as a dessert.

Coffee Cake:

  • Coffee cake is a type of cake that is typically served with coffee (hence the name).
  • Unlike crumb cake, coffee cake does not always have a crumb topping. Some coffee cakes are topped with streusel, while others may have a crumb topping or be glazed with icing.
  • Some coffee cakes contain fruit, nuts, or cinnamon mixed into the batter, while others are left plain.
  • Coffee cake is often served as a breakfast pastry or a snack.

In summary, while crumb cake is defined by its crumb topping, coffee cake can be either topped with streusel, have a crumb topping, or be glazed with icing, and may also contain fruit, nuts, or spices.

Q: What is crumb cake topping made of?
A: Crumbly streusel mixture made of sugar, butter, and flour.

Q: What nationality is crumb cake?
A: Crumb cake is a dessert that is commonly associated with American cuisine, particularly of German origin.

Did you enjoy this recipe? If so check out these other amazing recipes:

Vanilla and Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cake

5 from 1 vote
These Vanilla and Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cakes are the perfect sweet treat. The crumb topping is extra delicious, I could literally eat it by itself. Oh wait, I totally did that when making these. And the white soft buttermilk cake is perfectly spongy and light. Plus the addition of the lemon zest throughout the recipe makes these cakes just scream spring time!
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Prep Time 8 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 38 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 2 cups AP flour plus 2 tbsp
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp
  • 1 ¼ cup white sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Vanilla Bean seeds removed
  • 1 cup buttermilk**
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries

Topping

  • 1 cup AP flour
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F
  • Make the lemon crumb topping by combining 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest with the melted butter. Using your fingers, mix it around until its crumbly and set aside.
  • Butter and flour 2 cupcake tins.
  • Toss the blueberries with the 2 tbsp of flour and set aside
  • In small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
  • In a large mixer combine the butter and sugar until pale yellow, add the zest, eggs, and vanilla bean and beat well for an additional 2-3 minutes making sure to scrape down the sides.
  • Alternate adding the flour, and the buttermilk until all is combined, making sure to scrape down the sides during the process.
  • Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter into each cupcake mold. Top with some of the floured blueberries. Sprinkle the top with some of the crumb mixture.
  • Bake for approximately 30 – 35 minutes, or until the cake is light and fluffy.
  • Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

Notes

  • Buttermilk ** If you don’t have buttermilk on hand just use regular milk with a squeeze of lemon juice added into it**
  • If you dont want to use blueberries I love to sub with raspberries

Nutrition Information

Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg

Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson 

36 Comments

  5. This recipe looks amazing and I have a whole flat of blueberries that I can’t wait to use. I do have a question about the vanilla bean. I haven’t cooked with vanilla beans much and I didn’t understand how to use it. Scrape out the seeds and then throw in the seeds or the vanilla bean it self?

    Reply

  6. I love blueberries, so anything I can toss them into is a plus! I hadn’t yet considered an Easter menu, but these would be a big hit.

    Reply

  25. Hi Gaby,I want to make it as a cake, do you think I should use a 9inch round pan, and bake it for about 45-50 min..? Thank you! 😉

    Reply

  26. I have all of these ingredients in my fridge currently… I think its a MUST that I make this tonight!! 🙂

    Reply

  31. We have lots of blueberries. Do you put the 2 cups flour in the cake and then another for the crumb topping, or do you put one in the cake and one in the topping.
    Thanks

    Reply

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