Name: Blackberry Coffee Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ⅔ cup packed brown sugar (133g); ¾ cup all-purpose flour (94g); ½ teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (57g); 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature. (85g); ½ cup granulated sugar (100g); 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract; ½ cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature (120g); 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (156g); 2 tablespoons cornstarch (16g); 1 teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup blackberries*, washed and fully dried, cut in halves or quarters (150g)

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This blackberry coffee cake has a super soft crumb thanks to using sour cream. This easy cake has a blackberry filling with a streusel topping. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

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You're going to love this blackberry sour cream coffee cake! It's so moist and full of flavor. Big E told me it might even be better than pumpkin roll, which is her very favorite {and I took this as a big compliment}.

As a busy home baker, we all need an EASY coffee cake recipe and this one doesn't disappoint. Eat it for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea or enjoy it as dessert. Heck, it would be delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

For more berry filled desserts try my raspberry opera cake, strawberry filled cupcakes or cherry crumble muffins.

why you will love this sour cream coffee cake

Quick recipe ~ about 15 minutes of active time are needed to get this quick and easy blackberry breakfast cake in the oven.
Incredible texture ~ the crumb of this blackberry coffee cake is SO soft and tender thanks to using sour cream and one of my favorite secret 🤫 ingredients!
Streusel topping ~ need I say more??? The easy streusel is used as a filling and for a thick, crumbly topping.

🍰ingredients needed

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

ingredients needed for blackberry coffee cake

All-purpose flour ~ used for both the streusel and coffee cake.
Brown sugar ~ used in the streusel topping; dark or light brown sugar can be used.
Cardamom and cinnamon ~ both spices add some depth to the flavor of this blackberry coffee cake. If you don't have cardamom you can leave it out or substitute it with ground nutmeg.
Unsalted butter ~ used cold and cubed for the streusel and at room temperature for the cake.
Granulated sugar ~ adds sweetness and structure to the coffee cake.
Eggs ~ you'll need two large eggs at room temperature.
Vanilla ~ balances the flavors.
Sour cream ~ cakes made with sour cream have lovely softness to the crumb. Use full-fat sour cream at room temperature.
Cornstarch ~ one of my favorite secret ingredients! The cornstarch adds to the extra tender and soft texture to the cake.
Baking powder ~ just a little to keep from having a dense coffee cake.
Kosher salt ~ balances the flavors. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
Blackberries ~ wash and dry the blackberries before adding them. If the berries are extra large, cut them into quarters. If raspberry is more your flavor, use them instead!

blackberry coffee cake slices piled on a cutting board

let's make the streusel topping

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Then in a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, cardamom and cinnamon.

Then use your clean fingers to pinch the butter into the dry mixture until you have a crumbly mixture. Place the streusel in the freezer while you mix the blackberry coffee cake batter.

chunks of butter sitting in a mixing bowl with brown sugar and flour. — Cut the butter into smaller cubes and toss it into the dry streusel ingredients.

streusel topping for blackberry coffee cake in a bowl — Use your fingers to work the cold butter into the sugar, flour and spices.

👩🏼‍🍳how to make this easy cake

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.

Scrape up and down the bowl and then add the eggs one at a time. Scrape up and down the bowl once, if needed to fully combine the first egg and add the vanilla and beat on medium until well blended.

Then add the room temperature sour cream and beat on medium until combined.

butter and sugar creamed in a mixing bowl — The butter will look light and fluffy once the sugar has been beat in.

butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla mixed together in a mixing bowl — The batter looks very thin after the eggs and vanilla have been added.

cake batter after the sour cream has been mixed in. — The batter will look thicker once the sour cream has been mixed in.

Pour about half the flour over the wet ingredients, then add the cornstarch, baking powder, kosher salt and remaining flour. Mix on low until a few streaks of flour remain. Use a spatula to finish mixing until just combined. The blackberry coffee cake batter is thick.

coffee cake batter in a mixing bowl with a spatula. — Stop the mixer when a few streaks of flour are still showing. Finish mixing until just combined with a spatula, being careful to not over mix your batter.

blackberry coffee cake batter in a mixing bowl — The cake batter is very thick and almost fluffy.

how to layer the streusel and blackberries

Spread about half the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Top with half of the cold streusel mixture and the blackberries.

cake batter in a parchment lined pan — Spread half of the cake batter into the bottom of a parchment lined pan.

streusel and fresh blackberries on top of cake batter — Layer half of the streusel topping over the layer of cake batter. Then top with the blackberries.

Add the remaining batter in spoonfuls on top of the blackberries and streusel and use an offset spatula to smooth the batter in an even layer. The batter is thick, so work slowly.

Then top with remaining streusel topping, it will seem like too much streusel, but use it all!! Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool in the pan set on a wire cooling rack.

cake batter dolloped over streusel and blackberries — Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the top of the streusel and blackberry layer. The batter is thick so work slowly when spreading it.

streusel topping on unbaked coffee cake — Once the top layer of coffee cake batter has been spread, top it with the remaining streusel. It will seem like too much, but I recommend using all of it!

tips for the best coffee cake

Wash the fresh blackberries and make sure they are completely dry before adding to the coffee cake.

Use a kitchen scale to ensure you have the correct amount of flour. Adding too much flour can result in a dry coffee cake. If you don't have a scale, fluff the flour in it's container then spoon it into your measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level it.

The batter is very thick, which is what you want! Go slowly when layering spreading the batter in the pan. I find an offset spatula is very helpful.

Be careful not to over bake this blackberry coffee cake! Remember your oven is different than mine and baking times may vary slightly.

frequently asked questions

what makes coffee cake different from cake?

Coffee cake has a buttery soft crumb and a streusel topping. It can have a glaze, but is never frosted {the lemon glaze from this scone recipe would be delish}.

Is there coffee in coffee cake?

No, at least in the United States, coffee cake is typically a single layer cake with fruit or cinnamon. The cake does not have any actual coffee in it. Enjoy it for breakfast, a snack or as a dessert.

Can this blackberry coffee cake be baked in a different pan?

You can double this recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan; the baking time should be similar. This can also be baked in a bundt pan; again double the recipe and the bake time will increase by 10-20 minutes.

Can I bake this easy cake ahead?

I have successfully baked the blackberry coffee cake the evening before. Once it has completely cooled, cover the pan and leave at room temperature.

It will be ready to go with coffee for your breakfast or brunch!

how to store

Store any cake leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 - 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. {The streusel topping will get a little soft after the first day}.

The blackberry coffee cake can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Allow the cake to defrost before serving.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this EASY Blackberry Coffee Cake. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more fruit desserts to enjoy

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Yield: 12 slices - 8x8 baking pan