I

This is my favorite breakfast cake recipe, made with fresh berries and a tender crumb topping. This blueberry muffin cake recipe has a great flavor and is easy and fuss-free. I love making this when I have friends or family over for breakfast or brunch. The blueberries make this recipe super healthy and tasty, too.

For other delicious berry-based recipes, try my apple berry crumble or these berry cream cheese danishes!

Happy baking, friends!

Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Muffin Cake Recipe 

  • Delicious flavors: The recipe combines the classic goodness of blueberry pancakes with the crunch of a crumble topping.
  • Sweet and tangy balance: The tangy vegan buttermilk and sweet blueberries create a perfect sweet-tart balance.
  • Cozy and comforting: This is an ideal breakfast for chilly mornings.
  • Customizable: This dish is great for serving sliced fruits, chopped nuts, or even a dollop of dairy-free yogurt.
  • Impressive presentation: This is the perfect dish to make and serve to friends and family because it’s just so pretty to lay out.
  • Versatile dish: Serve it as a breakfast, dessert, or coffee cake.
  • Family-friendly: Kids will love this healthy recipe!
  • Healthy: Blueberries are a brilliant source of vitamins and antioxidants.
  • No electric equipment is needed for preparation: You won’t need a food processor or food processor for this recipe.

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Light brown sugar: This adds a gentle caramel flavor to the dessert. You can use regular white sugar if you don’t have brown sugar.
  • Granulated sugar: Plain old white sugar will do. Remember, if you use caster sugar in its place, it will taste sweeter.
  • Cinnamon: Brings warmth and gives it a cozy, warm feel.
  • All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the base for the dry ingredients.  It provides structure and helps the pancakes hold their shape.
  • Baking powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that helps the dessert rise. Make sure your batch is fresh.
  • Baking soda: Baking soda reacts with the acid in the vegan buttermilk, contributing to the pancakes’ lightness.
  • Vegan eggs: Vegan eggs (like flax or chia egg substitutes) help bind the ingredients together and add moisture to the batter.
  • Vegan buttermilk: This vegan buttermilk substitute mimics traditional buttermilk’s tanginess. I make mine with unsweetened plant milk and apple cider vinegar. If you aren’t following a plant-based diet, sour cream or regular buttermilk will do.
  • Unsweetened plant milk: Unsweetened plant milk serves as the liquid base for the wet ingredients in the pancake batter – go for oat, soy, rice, or almond milk.
  • Unsalted vegan butter: Melted butter adds richness and silkiness to the pancake batter.
  • Pure vanilla extract: Use a good quality vanilla product for best results.
  • Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are the star of this recipe. Use fresh, plump, and ripe berries. You can also use other berries in the recipe, like raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.
  • Maple syrup: You can also use honey if you don’t have maple syrup.

Pro Tips and Tricks

  • Use fresh batter: Prepare the pancake batter just before assembling the crumble. This helps ensure that the leavening agents are most effective, resulting in fluffier pancakes.
  • Crumble distribution: When adding the crumble topping, sprinkle it evenly to cover the blueberries and batter thoroughly.
  • Topping texture: For a varied texture, you can mix chopped nuts into the crumble topping before sprinkling it over the dish. This adds extra crunch and flavor.
  • Crumble size: Adjust the size of the crumble pieces according to your preference. Larger crumbles will result in a more rustic texture. Smaller crumbles create a more uniform topping.
  • Position in the oven: Place the baking dish in the center to ensure uniform cooking.
  • Use a baking sheet: Placing the baking dish on a baking sheet can help catch any potential drips or bubbling over from the blueberries.
  • Resting time: Allow the crumble to cool slightly after removing it from the oven. This gives the juices a chance to settle and the crumble to set.
  • Bake until golden: You want the top of the cake to be beautifully golden brown and toasty.

Variations and Add-Ins

  • Mixed berries: Instead of just blueberries, mix in various berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
  • Tropical taste: Add diced pineapple, mango, and shredded coconut to the blueberries.
  • Apple-cinnamon: Combine diced apples with the blueberries and infuse the pancake batter with extra cinnamon. This is also a great way to bulk up the blueberries if you don’t have enough.
  • Nutty: Mix chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts into the crumble topping for added crunch!
  • Citrusy: Grate some lemon or orange zest into the pancake batter.
  • Chai-spiced: Infuse the pancake batter with chai spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves.
  • Chocolate: After baking, drizzle melted vegan chocolate over the crumble.
  • Maple-pecan topping: Mix the maple syrup with chopped pecans.
  • Oat streusel: Replace a portion of the flour in the crumble topping with rolled oats.
  • Berry-lemon: Pair the blueberries with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice.
  • Rhubarb and strawberry: Swap the blueberries out for chopped rhubarb and strawberries for a sweet-tart filling. This makes a really delicious dessert.
  • Coconut cream: Drizzle a coconut cream sauce over the baked crumble. So yum!
  • Ginger-pear: Add diced pears and grated ginger to the blueberry filling. This is a lovely wintery mix.
  • Make into muffins: Layer the same recipe into muffin tins. You’ll need to reduce the baking time accordingly. Make sure to use the non-stick spray before pouring the muffin batter into the muffin pan.
  • Vegan blueberry muffin cake: Make this recipe in a springform pan. Turn it out and serve it as a cake!

Make Ahead Instructions and Storage

Make-ahead

Wash and prepare the blueberries, and have all the other ingredients ready. You can prepare the crumble topping and the pancake batter a day before. Store the crumble topping in an airtight container at room temperature and the pancake batter covered in the refrigerator.

Once assembled, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.

Storage

If you have leftovers (doubtful), leave them at room temperature for a few hours, but not longer, as the fruit filling can become too soggy.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer individual portions to an airtight container if you have leftovers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the texture may change slightly, but the flavors will still be delicious.

If you want to store the crumble longer, consider freezing it. Let the crumble cool completely, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place it in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Cover the frozen or refrigerated crumble with aluminum foil to reheat a larger portion and bake in a preheated oven at a low temperature (around 300°F or 150°C) until heated through.

 For individual portions, you can reheat it in a small bowl in the microwave in 20-30-second intervals until warm.

FAQs

Can I use frozen blueberries for this recipe?

Yes, you can use frozen blueberries. Thaw and drain them well before using them to prevent excess moisture from affecting the crumble’s texture.

Can I replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend?

Yes, you can substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Remember that the texture may vary slightly, so add a binding agent like xanthan gum to maintain the crumble’s structure.

Can I make this crumble recipe ahead of time for a gathering?

Yes, you can make the crumble components ahead of time. Assemble the crumble, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Just be aware that the baking time might need a slight adjustment, and the texture might vary slightly due to preassembly.

 

INGREDIENTS

Crumb Topping:

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter, melted

Pancake Casserole:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 vegan eggs
  • 2 cups vegan buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plant milk mixed with  1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, let sit for 10 minutes 
  • ½ cup unsweetened plant milk, I used soy
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter, melted
  • 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries
  • maple syrup, for topping

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it aside.
  2. Prepare crumb topping: In a medium bowl combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted vegan butter and stir until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for later.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine vegan eggs, plant-based buttermilk, plant milk, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk wet ingredients until well combined.  Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to stir until combined. Add in a handful of blueberries and gently fold into the mixture
  5. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Add the remaining blueberries over the top. Remove the crumb topping from the fridge and crumble over the top of the blueberries and batter. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until puffed and light golden brown.
  6. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Blueberry Pancake Crumble

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Ingredients
  

Crumb Topping:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp unsalted vegan butter melted

Pancake Casserole:

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 vegan eggs
  • 2 cups vegan buttermilk Mix 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plant milk with  1 Tbsp apple cider vinger, let sit for 10 minutes
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk I used soy
  • 4 tbsp unsalted vegan butter melted
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups blueberries
  • maple syrup for topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it aside.
  • Prepare crumb topping: In a medium bowl combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted vegan butter and stir until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for later.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • In a separate bowl, combine vegan eggs, plant-based buttermilk, plant milk, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk wet ingredients until well combined. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to stir until combined. Add in a handful of blueberries and gently fold into the mixture
  • Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Add the remaining blueberries over the top. Remove the crumb topping from the fridge and crumble over the top of the blueberries and batter. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until puffed and light golden brown.
  • Serve topped warm with maple syrup.