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You deserve a little something sweet, and this Healthy Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake is the perfect option! Made with coconut sugar, lemon zest, and blueberries, it’s a naturally sweet treat perfect for breakfast or dessert!
A delicious healthy coffee cake option
If you’ve taken a look through my blog or you’ve been around for a while, you know that I’m a chocolate lover through and through. I enjoy my favorite desserts all the time and love sharing the recipes with you all!
But sometimes, I ditch the chocolate in flavor of a fruitier option, like healthy lemon blueberry coffee cake. And let me tell you, there are never regrets with flavor combos like these!
This blueberry lemon cake is absolutely decadent. It’s made with a delicious crumble and glaze on top, and it pairs so well with your morning cup of coffee! It’s the breakfast/pastry/dessert/snack you had no idea you needed.
Ingredients in lemon blueberry coffee cake
Three sets of ingredients are included in this recipe to account for each part of the dessert! Some of the ingredients overlap, and you probably already have most of them on hand!
Cake
- Eggs: First up for the cake will be 2 eggs.
- Coconut oil: Mix in 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil to start to form the cake layer.
- Honey: An all natural sweetener option, include 1/3 cup of honey.
- Vanilla: Then, add 1 tsp of vanilla.
- Lemon zest: You will need to use 1 lemon for adding zest to the cake.
- Lemon juice: Save the lemon and add 1/4 cup of the juice!
- Almond flour: For the flour portion, we’re going with 3 cups of almond flour. Keep reading to learn why this is my favorite type of flour to use!
- Baking powder: Include 1 tsp of baking powder to help things rise properly.
- Baking soda: Then, add 1/2 tsp of baking soda.
- Salt: As for the salt, include 1/4 tsp.
- Blueberries: And last but not least, we’ll achieve that delicious lemon x blueberry flavor combo by including 1 cup of blueberries!
Crumble
- Almond flour: We will start with 1/2 cup of almond flour in forming the crumble.
- Coconut sugar: Then, add 1/2 cup of coconut sugar to sweeten things up.
- Lemon: Include the zest of another lemon.
- Coconut oil: Finally, add 3 tbsp of melted coconut oil to help everything bind together.
Glaze
- Powdered sugar: The glaze is made of only two ingredients, the first being 1 cup of powdered sugar.
- Almond milk: 2-3 tbsp of almond milk will help the sugar reach a nice, creamy consistency.
Tools used to make this lemon coffee cake recipe
You’ll need only 5 main tools to create this cake. Start with an 8×8 baking dish, followed by two mixing bowls (one small and one large), a whisk, and another stirring utensil (like a spatula!).
For measuring, you will need the following sizes: 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.
How to make healthy lemon blueberry coffee cake
This lemon blueberry coffee cake recipe consists of the cake, crumble, and glaze. We’ll start with the cake, and then we’ll move onto the crumble and glaze while it bakes.
First, preheat your oven to 350F and grease an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.
Stir together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until well combined.
Fold in the blueberries until they’re evenly dispersed.
Then, pour the batter into the greased pan.
Make the crumble by stirring all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top of the unbaked lemon blueberry dough.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
Next, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and almond milk together.
Once the cake is cooked, drizzle the glaze on top.
Substitution Tip
When making lemon blueberry breakfast cake, don’t be discouraged if you find that you’re missing an item or two. Many of the ingredients can be swapped with common pantry items, meaning you may not need to venture out to the store after all!
- Coconut oil: Out of coconut oil? That’s okay! Swap it (in an equal amount) with either vegetable, canola, or whatever you have on deck. I’d avoid using olive oil, as this may create a different taste.
- Honey: Substitute honey with maple syrup or molasses. Any natural, thick sweetener of a similar consistency will do.
- Baking soda: You can use extra baking powder to replace baking soda. Use 3 tsp of powder for every 1 tsp of soda, which for this recipe means you’ll need 1.5 extra tsp of powder.
- Coconut sugar: You can swap coconut sugar with granulated sugar in equal amounts.
- Almond milk: Lastly, equally replace almond milk with the milk of your choice.
Storing leftovers
Store leftover coffee cake on the counter for 3-4 days. I recommend keeping it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
Want to freeze it for later? Keep it securely sealed in either an airtight container or plastic wrap and tinfoil, and freeze. Enjoy within 2-3 months.
How lemon breakfast cake is healthier
I love making healthier dessert recipes, because I’m so passionate about the fact that eating healthy can still taste wonderful! I used these ingredients to make this recipe a better option.
Coconut oil
First, I used coconut oil rather than vegetable or canola oil. This is my preferred baking oil because it’s better for cholesterol and doesn’t contain as many unhealthy fats.
Honey
I love using honey (or maple syrup) as sweeteners because their all-natural qualities mean less preservatives and more nutrients!
Almond flour
I usually skip all-purpose flour in favor of almond flour because it’s nutrient rich and tastes great!
Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar is a great replacement for granulated sugar. It tastes yummy and calls for a 1:1 ratio, making it a simple swap.
Almond milk
I always use almond milk in baking because it works well to create great baked good textures, and I love that it provides nut-sourced protein!
Blueberries
In this recipe, using blueberries (as opposed to other mix-ins like chocolate chips) is a great way to give your body a nice dose of antioxidants.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Need some more more lemon and blueberry recipes to satisfy your cravings? Here are some of my favorites! I recommend trying the vegan cheesecake bars first. They’re insane.
- Paleo Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Healthy Blueberry Cobbler
- Healthy Lemon Cookies (Gluten-Free)
- Triple Layer Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Photos by Moriah Sawtelle and recipe by Erin Antoniak.
Healthy Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
You deserve a little something sweet, and this Healthy Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake is the perfect option! Made with coconut sugar, lemon zest, and blueberries, it’s a naturally sweet treat perfect for breakfast or dessert!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup blueberries
Crumble:
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Add in lemon zest and lemon juice.
- In a small bowl, stir together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until combined.
- Fold in blueberries until evenly dispersed. Pour into greased pan.
- Make crumble by stirring together all ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over top of unbaked lemon blueberry dough.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until center comes out clean with toothpick.
- Make glaze by whisking ingredients together.
- Once cake is cooked, drizzle glaze on top.
- Store on counter for 3-4 days.
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ERIN N says
Delicious! I love the texture. Even my fiancรฉ who doesnโt love lemon enjoys it!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Erin, so happy you both enjoyed it!! ๐
Gaby says
Another winning recipe. I didn’t have an 8×8 pan, so made muffins. The whole family loved them.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Gaby, so happy you loved it and made them as muffins!
sarah says
This recipe was such a flop for me. Flavor was flat, I cooked it for 53 minutes and it
still had a mushy texture. The topping was also very greasy. I followed the recipe exactly, Iโm not sure why I had a wildly different experience than all of these positive reviews.
★
Erin says
Hi Sarah, I’m sorry that you did not like the recipe! I’ve heard tons of good things about this one, bummed it didn’t work out for you. Did you make it to a T?
Jeanna says
I made this today for Easter brunch and it was AMAZING. My family members were asking for the recipe. ๐คค I will definitely be making this again soon!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jeanna, so glad you all enjoyed it!!
Ali says
Easy to make and delicious!
I’m gluten free and live in CO at 9,600 ft elevation so baking is a little hit or miss for me… this recipe worked out great! The lemon + blueberry combo (which is delicious) is stronger than the flavor of the almond flour which is nice if almond flour isn’t your favorite.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Ali, so glad you loved it so much! ๐
Claire says
Absolutely amazing! This is such a fun spin on coffee cake and has the perfect strong lemony zing but still lots of sweetness, especially if you add the frosting drizzle. Perfect with a morning cup of coffee or a yummy dessert.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Claire, so happy you loved it so much! ๐
BBM says
I had some extra lemons and blueberries in the fridge so this was the perfect thing to make. I must admit that I forgot to add the zest to the crumble, but it still came out lemony and lovely! One of my friends was just diagnosed with Celiacs so I plan on making her one of these and sharing the reciple after. Thanks Erin!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi, so glad you loved it!!
Lisa says
I also found the flour to be way too much. The batter turned into a crumbly dough. There was no pouring into the pan… it was more of a dump into the pan. I triple checked my ingredients against the recipe and I followed it to a T. Is 3 cups a typo?
Erin says
Hi Lisa, I’m sorry that you did not like the recipe! I’ve heard tons of good things about this one, bummed it didn’t work out for you. Nope 3 cups almond flour is correct.
Ria says
the almond flour was double what was needed; ruined a batch
★★
Erin says
Hi Ria, I’m sorry that you did not like the recipe! I’ve heard tons of good things about this one, bummed it didn’t work out for you!
Cassandra says
Hi Erin! This is my favorite dessert. My mom, who is often skeptical of my almond flour โhealthierโ sweet treats has declared this her favorite also and is excited to make it next! Thank you! ๐
Erin says
Hi Cassandra, so happy you both loved the cake!!
Lindsey K says
Love this recipe, I foresee my husband asking for it weekly!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Lindsey, so glad you loved it!!