To all mothers reading this post, I wish you a pedicure, an afternoon of peaceful silence, and a cool glass of your favorite adult beverage beside a generous slice of this Berry Crumb Cake.
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Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Although baking this berry crumb cake for your mom (or mother figure) in your life falls far short of repaying her for all the years of love and support, it would make a lovely addition to her day especially if you wash the dishes too (while letting her sip Strawberry Champagne).
Loaded with fresh berries and showered in big, buttery crumbs that are just as enjoyable as the cake beneath them. If you (or your mom) are the kind of person who eats coffee cake as merely a vehicle for the crumb topping, you both are going to adore this easy berry crumb cake recipe.
Just as delicately fluffy, buttery, and moist, as my favorite Blueberry Buckle, and as fruit as my favorite Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, this berry crumb cake might just become your mom’s new favorite child recipe.
5 Star Review
“This was amazing! I made this for our Mother’s Day brunch and the whole family raved.”
— Nancy —
How to Make Berry Crumb Cake
Simple, sweet, and wonderful (just like your dear mom), this berry crumb cake will make a showstopping centerpiece for your Mother’s Day spread (ideally beside a Goat Cheese Quiche).
The Ingredients
- Berries. I opted for an overload of fresh blueberries and raspberries. Every forkful of this crumb cake packs a juicy berry pop. (Just like this Overnight Blueberry Coconut French Toast Bake.)
- Almond. One of my favorite flavors to pair with both blueberry and raspberry. I added it to this recipe in three ways: pure almond extract (don’t use imitation please!), crunchy toasted almonds, and almond milk. (If you love almonds, then you’ll also adore this Almond Flour Cake.)
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. Sneaks in a little whole grain goodness in the form of extra fiber, iron, and protein while keeping the berry crumb cake soft and delicate.
- Sugar. For sweetness, moisture, and tenderness.
- Butter. Adds great butter flavor and helps the cake rise to make it light and fluffy.
- Cinnamon. For a touch of warmth and spice that compliments the juicy berries. (I also like adding a touch of cinnamon to this Blueberry Lemon Oven Pancake.)
- Crumb Topping. What every mom really wants for Mother’s Day (aside from a clean and quiet house), this moist, tender berry crumb cake topped with a sweet, buttery, crumbly topping that is good to the last
dropcrumb. (For fall, try this Pumpkin Coffee Cake with sweet crumb topping.) - Glaze. A simple glaze made from milk, vanilla, powdered sugar, and a touch more almond extra is the perfect sweet finish to this simple berry coffee crumb cake.
The Directions
- Blend together the topping ingredients in a bowl until moist crumbs form then stir in the sliced almonds. Set aside.
- Beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then stir in the almond extract.
- In two separate bowls, stir together the dry ingredients in one and whisk together the almond milk and egg in the other.
- Gradually add the wet and dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar, in an alternating fashion, until combined.
- By hand, fold in the berries, until barely blended.
- Transfer the batter into a lined and greased springform pan and sprinkle with the crumb topping.
- Bake until the crumbs are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth.
- Let cool slightly before removing it from the pan. Then drizzle with glaze and top with additional fresh berries, if desired. ENJOY!
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Store. Leftovers of this berry crumb cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze. You can freeze this cake in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, but don’t sprinkle the crumbs on top. Cover the pan, and refrigerate. Separately, prepare and refrigerate the crumb topping. The next day, uncover the pan, sprinkle the crumbs on top, and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. You can also bake up to 1 day ahead and (if possible) glaze just before serving.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
- 9-inch Springform Pan. Not just for Greek Yogurt Cheesecake, this berry crumb cake is the perfect excuse to pull yours out and get baking.
- Pastry Cutter. The best tool for making delicate, crumbly toppings (like on this Strawberry Lemonade Coffee Cake.
To all moms, you are my heroes. Wishing you a wonderful (early) Mother’s Day and a giant slice of almond berry crumb cake!
Frequently Asked Questions
I have not personally tried making this crumb cake gluten free before, however many readers have reported success swapping the flour for their favorite 1-to-1 gluten free baking mix flour alternative. You could also try this gluten free Strawberry Cake.
I have not personally tried baking these in small pans before, however, I suspect it would work. If you attempt, make sure to keep an eye on the cakes in the oven since they will likely need less time to fully bake.
I have not personally made this recipe without butter. However, readers have reported success substituting the butter in the topping and cake batter for dairy-free margarine.
Berry Crumb Cake
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Ingredients
Almond Streusel Topping:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup whole wheat pastry flour* plus 3 tablespoons, or substitute all purpose flour. See recipe notes for more info
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature and cut into rough pieces
- ½ cup sliced almonds
Berry Coffee Cake:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour* or substitute all purpose flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder I recommend aluminum free
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups mixed berries of choice fresh or frozen (I used 1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries and 3/4 cup fresh raspberries—if using frozen, do not thaw first)
Almond Vanilla Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon almond milk or milk of choice
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with non-stack spray and set aside.
- Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, stir together granulated sugar, whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, and salt. Scatter the butter pieces over the top, then with a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until moist crumbs form. Stir in the sliced almonds until evenly distributed and set aside.
- Make the berry coffee cake: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the almond extract until incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the whole wheat pastry flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the almond milk and egg.
- Add one third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mix on low speed just until combined, then add half of the wet ingredients and mix gently to combine again. Continue alternating the dry ingredients and wet ingredients as follows, mixing between each addition: the second third of the dry, the remaining wet, then the final third of the dry ingredients. By hand, gently fold in the berries, stirring just until barely blended.
- Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top, then sprinkle the crumb topping mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Gently run abutter knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it, then remove the sides of the pan.
- While the cake cools, prepare the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Add more milk/powdered sugar to reach a thicker or thinner consistency as desired. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- *INGREDIENT NOTE: I highly recommend whole wheat pastry flour for this recipe. It makes the cake extra fluffy and tender, while providing the benefits of whole grains, and you cannot taste it at all! If you do not have whole wheat pastry flour, I recommend substituting regular all-purpose flour. Regular whole wheat flour will work in the recipe, but will result in a heavier texture and more pronounced “wheaty” taste.
- TO STORE: Leftover coffee cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Bake up to 1 day ahead and (if possible) glaze just before serving.
- TO FREEZE: You can freeze this cake in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- MAKE AHEAD: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, but don’t sprinkle the crumbs on top. Cover the pan, and refrigerate. Separately, prepare and refrigerate the crumb topping. The next day, uncover the pan, sprinkle the crumbs on top, and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Nutrition
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This coffeecake is delicious! My family really enjoyed it. It bakes up beautifully and has a wonderful texture. The only teeny problem I had was with the streusel topping; it was a bit fragile, breaking off easily as I cut into the completely cooled cake. All in all, though, this is a terrific recipe, and I thank you for sharing it.
Jocelyn, I’m so happy to hear that you all enjoyed this recipe so much. I’m sorry the crumb topping texture gave you a bit of trouble, but I’m glad it was still a hit :-)
How much of the whole wheat pastry flour do you add in step 2 vs step 4? Thank you!
Hi Christy! Since step 2 is regarding the crumb topping, you use the amount called for in that section of the recipe ingredients (1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons). Step 4 is for the cake, so you use the amount specified in that section of the recipe ingredients (1 cup). I hope that helps and that you love the cake!
Yay, that’s what I did- thank you for your super quick reply!! Can’t wait to try it in a few minutes- it smells divine!
I have made this cake a number of times and always with rave reviews. Is it possible to bake it into smaller portions for gifts for a single elderly person?
I’m glad to hear it’s a hit, Marie! I haven’t tried it in smaller portions, but I’m guessing it would work with a shorter bake time.
This was amazing! I made this for our Mother’s Day brunch and the whole family raved (even though it didn’t have a spec of chocolate in it! LOL!). It was easy and gave me an opportunity to use that springform pan that never comes out of the cabinet. I knew I bought it for a good reason! I decorated with strawberries, since they were freshly picked and they were a great match to the cake.
I’m so happy it was a hit, Nancy! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
What about substituting white whole wheat flour for the pastry flour?
Anne, regular whole wheat flour will have a denser texture and more “wheaty” taste, but if you are OK with that, please go ahead! Other swaps that work are white whole wheat flour or regular all purpose flour
Can the almond berry cake be made gluten-free and still have a desirable result?
Hi Mary Anne! I have not tried this swap myself, but you could experiment with it. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Yumm!! This was Soo Delicious! I never baked anything with mixed berries before…but our family loved it & will be delivering some now to our close friends! Will be making this in the future for sure!❤️
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Stacia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
My husband is a big fan of almond flavor and blueberries, and he loved this cake. I’m not a fan of these flavors, but even I enjoyed the cake. Used white whole wheat flour since I didn’t have the pastry flour, almond milk in the icing also, frozen blueberries, and an 8 x 8 pan since I don’t own a springform.
Hi Jessica! So glad you enjoyed the cake! Thank you for this kind review!
This is a great cake! I’ve made it basically as written and loved it. But I want to bake it for a party with lactose intolerant folks. Could I substitute the butter for margarine?
Hi Jessica! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so I am not sure how margarine would work. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Reporting back– this cake was lovely with dairy-free, Imperial margarine! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Great to hear! Thank you Jessica!
Being prediabetic, that is a LOT of carbs. I know there is fiber which lowers the total net carbs, but it won’t lower enough. Have you tried or know to recommend an artificial sweetener instead of all that sugar?
Hi Marge! I have not tried or know about any artificial sweeteners. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!