Blueberry Swirl Coffee Cake Recipe with Streusel Topping

This Blueberry Swirl Coffee Cake is warm, tender, and loaded with a homemade blueberry pie filling baked to a light golden brown. Serve it warm with a simple powdered-sugar glaze for an ideal breakfast, brunch, or after-dinner treat.

Sliced blueberry swirl coffee cake squares on a white parchment paper background.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients Needed
How to Make the Recipe
Recipe FAQs
More Breakfast Treats to Try!
Blueberry Swirl Coffee Cake Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple to make—perfect if you’ve tried other easy coffee cakes and want something with fruit.
The cake is light and fluffy with vanilla and a hint of almond, giving each bite a classic, comforting flavor.
Fresh blueberries create a bright, juicy homemade pie filling that bakes beautifully.
A quick powdered-sugar glaze ties everything together and keeps the cake tender.
Best served warm, ideal for guests or a relaxed weekend breakfast.

Coffee cake is a wonderful, crowd-pleasing choice to prepare when friends or family visit. The combination of tender cake and vibrant blueberry filling makes this version especially satisfying.

Serving a slice of freshly baked blueberry swirl coffee cake on wood table.

Ingredients Needed

Below are the main ingredients for this blueberry coffee cake. A few items deserve a short note:

Ingredients in various size bowls and plates labeled as blueberries, water, unsalted butter, baking powder, granulated sugar, lemon juice, powdered sugar, clear jel, eggs, vanilla extract, and vegetable shortening, almond extract on a white marbled background.

Clear Jel: A modified cornstarch used to thicken the blueberry filling without an off taste. This is not the same as Sure-Jel.
Almond extract: Adds a subtle, nutty note that complements the blueberries and vanilla.
Milk: Any dairy milk works for the glaze; 1% or whole both produce good results.

How to Make the Recipe

Here’s a concise overview of the steps. Follow the full recipe card below for exact measurements and timings.

Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling

Blanching blueberries in a large saucepan of boiling water on a burner then cooling the mixture in a glass bowl on a white background.

Step 1: Blanch the blueberries. Rinse the berries and briefly plunge them into boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep them warm in a covered bowl. This step preserves flavor and texture.

Dissolving sugar and clear jel with water in a a large saucepan to make a pie filling.

Step 2: Make the gel base. In a saucepan combine granulated sugar, Clear Jel, water, and lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until the sugar and Clear Jel dissolve and the mixture thickens—about 7–8 minutes.

Making homemade blueberry pie filling in a large saucepan then letting it cool in a glass bowl.

Step 3: Combine and cool. Stir in the blanched blueberries, transfer the filling to a glass bowl, and let it cool completely (roughly 2–3 hours) before using in the cake.

Coffee Cake

Step 1: Prep and dry ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9 x 13-inch pan with baking spray (or parchment). Whisk together the flour and baking powder and set aside.

Coffee cake wet ingredients mixed together in a glass bowl on a white background.

Step 2: Cream fats and add wet ingredients. Beat unsalted butter and vegetable shortening until smooth. Add granulated sugar, vanilla, almond extract, scrape the bowl, then beat in the eggs.

Adding the coffee cake dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in a glass bowl on a white background.

Step 3: Combine batter. Reduce mixer to low and add the dry ingredients gradually until just combined—do not overmix.

Glass baking dish layered with coffee cake batter, blueberry pie filling, topped with spoonfuls of more coffee cake batter.

Step 4: Layer and bake. Spread two-thirds of the batter into the prepared pan, add the cooled blueberry filling in an even layer, then drop the remaining batter over the top. Bake 40–45 minutes at 350°F, until the top is light golden brown.

Blueberry swirl coffee cake baked in a glass baking dish, sliced, and drizzled with a glaze.

Glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Drizzle over the warm cake and slice to serve.

Slices of blueberry swirl coffee cake squares on a white parchment paper background.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use store-bought pie filling instead of homemade?

Yes—store-bought fillings work fine. You can substitute cherry, peach, or raspberry if you prefer. Most commercial fillings come in 21-ounce cans; one can is usually enough, or use part of a second can for extra filling.

How should I store leftover pie filling?

Keep it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It also freezes well or can be preserved by proper canning methods.

Is blanching the blueberries necessary?

Blanching helps maintain color and flavor by stopping enzymatic activity; it’s recommended for the best results in this filling.

Is Clear Jel interchangeable with gelatin or Sure-Jel?

No—Clear Jel is a specific modified cornstarch that thickens without altering taste and keeps the filling clear. It’s not the same as gelatin or Sure-Jel and is preferred, especially if you plan to can the filling.

More Breakfast Treats to Try!

Chocolate Croissant Loaf

Mini chocolate banana muffins topped with mini chocolate chips placed close together on a white background.

Mini Chocolate Banana Blender Muffins

Lemon blueberry scones with streusel topping placed on a parchment paper lined round wooden serving plate with lemon wedges and blueberries placed around it.

Lemon Blueberry Streusel Scones

Double Chocolate Muffins

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