Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Made with Oil)

This blueberry sour cream coffee cake recipe uses oil instead of butter for an extra moist crumb. Blueberries and cinnamon walnut streusel are layered twice through the batter for even distribution in every slice.

This blueberry sour cream coffee cake recipe is different from most versions you will find.

Instead of butter, the batter uses vegetable oil, which keeps the cake remarkably moist for days, and instead of one layer of fruit, the blueberries and a cinnamon walnut streusel are layered twice through the batter for a more even, jammy distribution in every single slice.

Sour cream adds richness, lemon zest adds brightness, and a touch of almond extract rounds everything out. A few bowls, a whisk, no mixer required.

I created this recipe to use up sour cream that was about to expire and a pint of blueberries that were starting to look a little sad.

A few modifications later, including a homemade walnut and cinnamon streusel instead of a plain sugar topping, and this quickly became one of the most requested recipes in my home.

Let me show you how easily this cake comes together. 

Jump to:

• Quick Overview
• What You’ll Need
• How to Make Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
• Tips
• FAQ
• Variations
• More Blueberry Recipes
• Recipe Inspiration
• Recipe

Quick Overview

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 16 servings
• Special Touch: Vegetable oil instead of butter keeps this cake moist for days, and the blueberry-streusel layers run twice through the batter rather than just on top, giving every slice an even, jammy distribution of fruit.
• Dietary Note: No dairy substitutions tested. Contains nuts (walnuts in streusel, optional).
• Serving Suggestions: Serve at room temperature with a dollop of sweet ricotta cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or alongside a healthy fruit salad for brunch.

What You’ll Need

• All-purpose flour. I sift or whisk this together with the baking powder and baking soda first. It distributes the leaveners evenly and aerates the flour, which gives the finished cake a lighter texture.
• Baking powder and baking soda. I use both together here. The baking soda reacts with the acidity in the sour cream for extra lift, while the baking powder gives me additional, more reliable rise.
• Brown sugar. I use this in both the batter and the streusel. It adds moisture and a subtle caramel note that white sugar simply cannot replicate.
• Vegetable oil. This is what sets my coffee cake apart from most other versions you will find. Oil keeps the crumb tender and moist for days after baking, which is something I really wanted since butter-based cakes can dry out so quickly.
• Egg (room temperature). I always take mine out ahead of time. Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly into the batter and help create a uniform texture.
• Sour cream (room temperature). This is what adds richness and a subtle tang while keeping my cake exceptionally moist. I make sure it is at room temperature too, since it blends more easily and prevents the batter from seizing.
• Almond extract. I love the small bakery-style flavour this adds, especially alongside blueberries. If you prefer something more classic, vanilla extract works just as well.
• Lemon zest. I always reach for an organic lemon since I am using the peel. The zest brightens the whole cake and balances the sweetness beautifully.
• Fresh or frozen blueberries. I do not bother thawing them if they are frozen. Since I layer them with the streusel rather than mixing them into the batter, there is no need to coat them in flour. If I am using frozen, I just make sure they are well drained after rinsing.
• Walnuts (chopped). I combine these with brown sugar and cinnamon for my streusel layer. Pecans work just as well if that is what you have on hand.
• Ground cinnamon. I mix this into the streusel for a warmth that complements the blueberries so well.

How to Make Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175°C). Set the oven rack to the middle position.

Grease and flour (or use non-stick cooking spray) a 9 x 9-inch square pan. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of brown sugar with ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ¼ cup of chopped walnuts. Set aside for now. 

In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together 2½ cups of all-purpose flour (350 grams), 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 scant cup of brown sugar with the ⅔ cup of vegetable oil.

Add one lightly beaten egg, 1 cup of sour cream, ½ teaspoon of almond extract and 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest, preferably organic. Whisk to combine properly together.

Add one lightly beaten egg, 1 cup of sour cream, ½ teaspoon of almond extract and 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest, preferably organic. Whisk to combine properly together.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine them with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Do not overmix.

Spoon about half the batter into the prepared pan and spread with an offset spatula. 

Sprinkle half the streusel topping evenly over the batter, followed by 1 cup of the blueberries. Press the blueberries gently into the batter. 

Spread the remaining cake batter evenly over the layer of blueberries. Once again, sprinkle the remaining sugar-cinnamon walnut mixture evenly over the top of the batter, followed by the blueberries. Press the blueberries gently into the batter. 

Look at the quick video tutorial in the recipe card to see how easy this is. 

Bake in the oven for 60 minutes until golden or until the cake tester comes out clean.

Place it on a wire rack to cool down for about 15 minutes.

After this short period, carefully remove the cake from the pan and place it on the wire rack, where it will continue to cool down. 

Serve cake at room temperature with a dollop of sweet ricotta and a sprinkling of powdered sugar (optional).  

Tips

• Use oil, not butter. This is the secret to a cake that stays moist for days rather than drying out after just one. Vegetable or sunflower oil both work well.
• Layer the streusel and blueberries twice, not once. Splitting the batter in half and layering the streusel and fruit through the middle as well as on top gives you a more even, jammy distribution of blueberries in every slice rather than a soggy bottom layer or a dry top layer.
• Sift the dry ingredients together. This distributes the leaveners evenly throughout the flour and aerates the mixture, resulting in a lighter texture.
• Do not overmix the batter. Stop as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing develops the gluten and results in a tougher, denser cake.
• Use room temperature ingredients. This creates a smoother batter with a more uniform texture. Take your egg and sour cream out about an hour before starting.

FAQ

Variations

• You can replace the blueberries with strawberries. 
• Incorporate the blueberries into the batter rather than creating a layer. Tossing them in 1 tablespoon of flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
• Replace the almond extract with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. 

More Blueberry Recipes

If you love this blueberry coffee cake, here are a few more ways to enjoy blueberries any time of day:

Recipe Inspiration

I recently cleaned out my fridge and realized I had sour cream that was about to expire. 

I had a couple of options. One way was to replace the buttermilk with sour cream and use my frozen rhubarb to make a variation of this delicious rhubarb cake. 

Another option was to make a sour cream variation with my pint of blueberries that were beginning to look a little sad.

As you can see, I opted for choice number two with a few modifications. 

I created a healthier streusel topping for this blueberry coffee cake by combining walnuts, a small amount of brown sugar, and cinnamon. 

Unfortunately, I tried to reduce the total brown sugar in the original rhubarb cake recipe to ¾ of a cup, but the texture was too dense. I found that lightly packing the brown sugar and using a scant cup provided the perfect consistency. 

Enjoy!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this sour cream blueberry coffee cake, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

This post was originally published on June 24, 2021, and republished on June 17, 2026, with updated content. Thanks for watching and sharing!