Wild Blueberry Lemon Crumb Cakes

4.2
(14)

These wild blueberry lemon crumb cakes bring two great ingredients together. Lemon and blueberry are fine on their own, but together they are magical, especially with this golden brown crumb cake topping.

1
closeup of Chef John's wild blueberry lemon crumb cakes with one cut in half to show the inside
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Chill Time:
30 mins
Stand Time:
20 mins
Cool Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs
Servings:
12

I’m sure there are people out there who could give us some very scientific, chemically-based reasons for why blueberries and lemon go so well together, especially when combined with a sweet, buttery crumb topping, but I’m in no hurry to speak with them. They would probably take many minutes, and dozens of very long words to explain what I can easily understand with just one bite. 

 Speaking of science, these same brainiacs could also explain why a crumb cake topping is better if you let the mixture get cold and hard before breaking it up into all those sweet little nuggets. Do I really want to know? See above. Anyway, as I admitted in the video, this one took me a couple tries to dial in the right amount of wild blueberries, but once I did, they really were terrific, and I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Try more of the latest and greatest recipes from Chef John!

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings

Crumb Topping

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup white sugar

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Batter

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 cup white sugar

  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 2 generous tablespoons grated lemon zest

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt or milk

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup wild blueberries, thawed and drained

Directions

  1. Combine 1/4 cup butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a small bowl. Mash together with the back of a spoon until uniformly combined. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes. Once cold, crumble into pea-sized crumbs, and return to the refrigerator until needed.

  2. Whisk together 1 1/3 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl; set aside.

  3. Add 1/2 cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and lemon zest to a large bowl; stir and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line cups with paper liners.

  5. Add butter to the bowl with lemon zest. Beat with an electric hand mixer or whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla extract, yogurt, and lemon juice, and mix briefly to just combine. If mixture separates, it will come back together when you add dry ingredients.

  6. Add flour mixture, and blend just until flour disappears.

  7. Divide batter equally between the prepared muffin cups. Top each cake with a heaping teaspoon of blueberries, and lightly press berries down in the center. Divide crumb mixture evenly over cakes.

  8. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool crumb cakes completely before serving.

    wire rack with 12 blueberry lemon crumb cakes on grey countertop

    John Mitzewich

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

242 Calories
13g Fat
30g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 242
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 7g 37%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 211mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 3g 6%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 54mg 1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.