This German blueberry kuchen is bursting with flavor from blueberries, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Plus the cinnamon streusel crumb topping makes this the perfect summer coffee cake!

And if you love this blueberry kuchen recipe, be sure to also try blueberry torte!

A whole blueberry kuchen topped with fresh blueberries.

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Blueberry kuchen is great in the summer when blueberries are ripe. But you can still make it throughout the whole year, so keep reading for my tips on how to bake a cake with frozen blueberries!

This cake was inspired by my other streusel cake recipes. The crumbly topping is common in German baking, so if you like it, be sure to also try apple streusel bread, quick German lightning cake, poppy seed Mohnkuchen, easy almond cherry coffee cake, moist applesauce cake, and streusel almond raspberry cake.

Two slices of blueberry kuchen on small grey plates.

The word "kuchen" in German translates to "cake". But it's different from American cake because it's typically less sweet and it isn't decorated with frosting.

Growing up in Germany, cake would often be served as an afternoon snack for Kaffee und Kuchen. But honestly, I could eat this fruity blueberry cake all day. In my book, this cake is totally passible for breakfast or brunch. Or serve it for dessert with vanilla ice cream!

A bowl of blueberries next to milk, eggs, flour, butter, and a lemon.

Ingredients

All purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon
Unsalted butter
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Milk
Lemon juice and Lemon zest
Baking powder and Baking soda
Salt
Blueberries

How to Make this Recipe

Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Cinnamon streusel in a small white bowl.

1. In a small bowl, mix the streusel ingredients into a crumbly mixture.

Washed blueberries draining in a fine mesh sieve.

2. Wash the blueberries in a colander or sieve. Set aside to dry.

Creamed butter and sugar in a metal mixing bowl.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy.

Mixed butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl.

5. Mix in the room temperature milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Blueberries tossed in flour in a small glass bowl.

7. In a separate bowl, toss the blueberries in the remaining flour.

Blueberry cake topped with streusel in a cake pan.

9. Spread the cake batter into a greased 9-inch round cake pan in an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel on top.

Beaten butter, sugar, and eggs in a mixing bowl.

4. Add the room temperature eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until it’s well combined.

Cake batter ingredients in a metal mixing bowl.

6. Mix in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Blueberry coffee cake batter in a metal mixing bowl.

8. Gently fold the flour-coated blueberries into the cake batter.

Baked blueberry kuchen on a wire cooling rack.

10. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy!

Carissa's Kitchen Tip

Don't skip tossing your blueberries in flour! This prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake as it bakes. It also absorbs excess juice so the berries don't bleed into the batter as much.

A slice of blueberry kuchen on a grey plate with a metal fork.

Room Temperature Ingredients

It’s important for the butter, eggs, and milk to all be at room temperature. This helps them combine evenly into the cake batter for the best texture and flavor.

Set your eggs and milk out for 20 to 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
Butter can take longer, upwards of several hours, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.

Using Frozen Blueberries

You can use frozen blueberries to make blueberry kuchen. Below are my top tips after recipe testing.

Fold them into the cake straight from the freezer. If you let them thaw, they’ll bleed their juices into the cake and turn it green.
I also recommend tossing your frozen blueberries with two tablespoons (instead of one tablespoon) all purpose flour, to help absorb excess moisture.

A half-eaten slice of blueberry kuchen topped with fresh blueberries.

Variations

Other fruit: Feel free to substitute other fruit based on what’s in season for you. This cake also tastes great with other berries like raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. Or used chopped apples or pears.
Almonds: Add chopped or sliced almonds to the streusel for a nutty flavor and extra crunchy texture.
Kuchen Bars: You can bake the cake batter in a 9 inch x 13 inch baking dish and cut it into squares to make kuchen bars.
Spices: Feel free to add nutmeg, cardamom, or allspice to the cake batter for extra spiced flavors.

Storage

Since this cake has juicy blueberries in it, I recommend storing it in the fridge if you're saving it longer than a day. Otherwise this moist cake could get moldy.

Room Temperature: Store cooled cake under a cake dome or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for one day.
Fridge: Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can This Cake Be Frozen?

To freeze blueberry kuchen, allow the cake to cool completely. Then wrap either the whole cake or individual slices tightly in plastic cling wrap, then in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight.

Looking for more kuchen recipes? Try these: