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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Yeast Coffee Cake with Blueberries

    Published: Jul 10, 2022 · Modified: Jan 13, 2023 by Petra Kupská

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    Let’s bake the traditional Czech yeasted coffee cake with blueberries, generously topped with streusel! An ideal cake for breakfast, it’s incredibly soft and juicy, and I guarantee you will love the recipe.

    Yeast coffee cake with blueberries, sliced, served on a plate.
    Table of Contents hide
    ➜ About the recipe
    ➜ Ingredients
    ➜ Instructions with photos
    ➜ Serving
    ➜ Storage
    ➜ Why is this cake called a coffee cake?
    ➜ Size of baking sheet
    ➜ Useful tips
    Blueberry Yeast Coffee Cake

    ➜ About the recipe

    This is a delicious cake with crumbs made of yeast dough, which is spread on a baking tray, covered with fresh fruit, and topped with a streusel crumble made of flour, butter, and sugar. The cake is perfect for morning coffee at breakfast, or as a dessert for any coffee time.

    FUN FACT: Although the authentic recipe comes from the Czech Republic, this cake is also popular with Czech neighbors, especially in Germany, Poland, and Hungary; a similar recipe can be found in their national cuisines.

    European yeast cake with fruit, topped with a streusel crumb.

    MY TIP: Also try the authentic recipe for Czech kolaches (they are round in shape and there really is no sausage inside!)

    ➜ Ingredients

    Baking with yeast is much simpler than most people think, and it gives a depth of taste and texture that just cannot be replicated with another ingredient! Do not be afraid of yeast and embrace it. The yeast cake is certain to succeed in this simple recipe with precise step-by-step directions.

    What you need for European-style yeast coffee cake:

    Ingredients for yeast blueberry sheet cake, with captions.

    Yeast dough:

    • All-purpose flour; or plain flour in the UK
    • Granulated sugar
    • Milk; lukewarm to warm but not hot
    • Active dry yeast; or fresh. I've gotten into the habit of using instant yeast because it has a much longer shelf life than fresh, plus it's totally easy to work with.
    • Unsalted butter; softened at room temperature or a few seconds in the microwave. Optionally melted in a saucepan on the stove and then cooled.
    • Egg yolks; with only yolks, the yeasted dough will be more tender. Set aside some of the egg whites to brush the edges of the cake later.
    • A pinch of salt; for taste contrast
    • Lemon zest; freshly grated. Grate only the top yellow layer; the bottom white one is bitter. Scrub the lemon with a brush under warm running water, or take an organic lemon.

    Topping:

    • Blueberries; ideally fresh berries or any other summer fruit
    • Granulated sugar; to sprinkle over the fruit, especially if it is not too sweet

    Crumb ingredients:

    • All-purpose flour, granulated sugar (or brown sugar for rich flavor), and unsalted butter. Read more about how to make streusel topping

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    ➜ Instructions with photos

    STEP 1: Pour lukewarm milk (warm but not hot) into a glass, and stir in a teaspoon of granulated sugar and the dry yeast. Leave in a warm place for 15 minutes to bubble.

    Dry yeast mixed with lukewarm milk, in a glass.
    Activated dry yeast in a glass.

    STEP 2: Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the soft butter, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Pour in activated yeast, including all the milk. Using a wooden spatula, beat out into a soft dough, that is a little bit sticky.

    Preparing yeast dough, ingredients in a white bowl.

    TIP: If you own a stand mixer with kneading hooks, prepare the dough with its help. The robot helps make the job easier.

    STEP 3: Cover the dough with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave it to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes. After about half an hour, knock the dough down with a wooden spoon to encourage further rising.

    Yeast dough before leavening.
    Leavened yeast dough.

    ⤍ Learn how to make dough rise in the oven.

    STEP 4: Meanwhile, make a buttery streusel crumble. Place the butter, sugar, and flour in a bowl and rub between your fingers until you get a crumb.

    Streusel topping.

    STEP 5: Grease a baking sheet with a piece of butter. Spread the risen dough on the sheet and use your fingers to press it thinly to the sides. Using the edge of your palm, shape the slightly raised rims along the perimeter of the sheet.

    Greased baking sheet.
    Yeast dough spread on a baking sheet.

    TIP: If you like, mix some of the egg whites with a little water and brush them around the cake edges. They turn out beautifully glossy when baked.

    STEP 6: Pour the blueberries in a thick layer over the prepared dough, and sprinkle them with sugar; about two tablespoons of sugar per sheet. Finally, top the blueberries with the streusel crumble.

    Topping yeasted dough with blueberries and streusel topping.

    STEP 7: Bake the blueberry coffee cake in a preheated oven at 350°F/170°C (lower and upper heating) for 35-40 minutes. Edges of the cake turn golden brown.

    Baked yeast coffee cake with fruit.

    ➜ Serving

    Let the finished cake cool for a while. Then, cut the cake into slices of about 4x4inches/10x10 cm, and serve.

    The cake is low with a rich layer of fruit. Still warm it feels soft, so I recommend serving the cake slices on a small plate and eating them with a dessert spoon. Once cooled, the cake firms up and you can bite into it holding the slice in your hand.

    Sliced coffee cake with blueberries and a crumb.

    ➜ Storage

    Cover the cooled coffee cake with cling film, aluminum foil, or a clean tea towel. It will keep at room temperature on the kitchen counter for about 3 days.

    You can also cut the cake into pieces, and store them in an airtight container in the freezer.

    ➜ Why is this cake called a coffee cake?

    Let's briefly clarify this. Coffee cakes usually don't contain any coffee. They're just called "coffee cakes" because they are traditionally served with a cup of coffee or tea at breakfast time, for brunch, or for afternoon coffee.

    ➜ Size of baking sheet

    In the Czech Republic, a large baking sheet about 18x13 inches (45x33 cm) is most commonly used for baking. Get this size if you want to bake the cake exactly according to the recipe.

    If you want to bake in a 9x13-inch baking dish, prepare the cake with about ⅔ of the amount.

    ➜ Useful tips

    • Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, drizzle its surface with melted butter to which you have stirred two tablespoons of spiced rum. This is a fantastic twist!
    • If you intend to prepare the cake with fresh yeast, crumble the yeast in warm milk sweetened with a teaspoon of sugar and then follow the same procedure as for dry yeast. Fresh yeast will activate a little sooner because it contains more moisture.
    • This yeasty sheet cake can be layered with any summer fruit, not just blueberries. Apricots, strawberries, raspberries, apple slices, and a mix of fruits - combine black and red currants or gooseberries with some sweeter fruits.

    More sweets:

    • Zucchini spice cake
    • Medovnik Czech honey cake
    • Zwetschenkuchen (German plum cake)
    • Chocolate coffee cake (with sour cream topping)
    • Cinnamon apple crumb cake

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest. Subscribe to my newsletter. Send me any question about Czech cuisine to my e-mail. I love hearing your feedback!

    Blueberry yeast coffee cake.

    Blueberry Yeast Coffee Cake

    Let’s bake the traditional Czech yeasted coffee cake with blueberries, generously topped with streusel! An ideal cake for breakfast, it’s incredibly soft and juicy, and I guarantee you will love the recipe.
    4 from 1 vote
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Leavening:: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    Servings: 16 slices
    Calories: 252kcal
    Author: Petra Kupská

    Equipment

    • 1 Baking sheet 18x13 inches
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Fruit cake

    Ingredients

    Yeast dough:

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour (390 g)
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70 g)
    • ⅔ cup milk (160 ml) lukewarm
    • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
    • ½ stick unsalted butter (55 g) softened
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
    • 1 pinch salt

    Topping:

    • 26 ounces blueberries (750 g)
    • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar to sprinkle over blueberries

    Streusel:

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ⅔ stick unsalted butter (75 g)
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70 g)

    Instructions

    • Activate dry yeast: Pour lukewarm milk (warm but not hot) into a glass, and stir in a teaspoon of granulated sugar and the dry yeast. Leave in a warm place for 15 minutes to bubble.
    • Make yeast dough: Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the soft butter, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Pour in activated yeast, including all the milk. Using a wooden spatula, beat out into a soft dough, that is a little bit sticky.
    • Let the dough rise: Cover the dough with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave it to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes. After about half an hour, knock the dough down with a wooden spoon to encourage further rising.
    • Make streusel topping: Meanwhile, make a buttery streusel crumble. Place the butter, sugar, and flour in a bowl and rub between your fingers until you get a crumb.
    • Prepare baking sheet: Grease a baking sheet with a piece of butter. Spread the risen dough on the sheet and use your fingers to press it thinly to the sides. Using the edge of your palm, shape the slightly raised rims along the perimeter of the sheet.
    • Pour the blueberries in a thick layer over the prepared dough, and sprinkle them with sugar; about two tablespoons of sugar per sheet. Finally, top the blueberries with the streusel crumble.
    • Bake the cake: Bake the blueberry coffee cake in a preheated oven at 350°F/170°C (lower and upper heating) for 35-40 minutes. Edges of the cake turn golden brown.

    Notes

    • Makes about 16 pieces.
    • Baking sheet: In the Czech Republic, a large baking sheet about 18x13 inches (45x33 cm) is most commonly used for baking. Get this size if you want to bake the cake exactly according to the recipe. If you want to bake in a 9x13-inch baking dish, prepare the cake with about ⅔ of the amount.
    • Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, drizzle its surface with melted butter to which you have stirred two tablespoons of spiced rum. This is a fantastic twist!
    • This yeasty sheet cake can be layered with any summer fruit, not just blueberries. Apricots, strawberries, raspberries, apple slices, and a mix of fruits - combine black and red currants or gooseberries with some sweeter fruits.
    • SERVING: Let the finished cake cool for a while. Then, cut the cake into slices of about 4x4inches/10x10 cm, and serve.
    • STORAGE: Cover the cooled coffee cake with cling film, aluminum foil, or a clean tea towel. It will keep at room temperature on the kitchen counter for about 3 days.

    DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:

    Conversion chart

    Nutritional Estimate pro portion

    Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Daria

      July 17, 2022 at 2:42 pm

      How much dry east? The recipe doesn’t say

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        July 17, 2022 at 3:59 pm

        Thank you very much for your sharp eye, Daria! In the yeast dough will come two teaspoons of active dry yeast. I have already added to the recipe. Thank you again!

        Reply
    2. Lorraine Vítámvás

      August 17, 2022 at 2:43 am

      Hi Petra,

      Fresh blueberries are extremely expensive nowadays. Would it be possible to use frozen, or thawed frozen? Would it make a difference?

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        August 24, 2022 at 12:14 pm

        Ahoj Lorraine, thawed frozen blueberries are a good choice! If you used frozen blueberries, the yeast dough might not rise well during baking and would remain shrunken. Yeast dough always requires mild warmth to process, too much cold (in this case frozen fruit) will scare it away 🙂

        Reply
    3. Sean

      October 15, 2022 at 6:52 pm

      4 stars
      So I tried making this recipe because my Babi would make the same one for us when we were little. I only had oat milk and vegan butter. I also used thawed frozen blueberries. It turned out ok with 1:1 substitutions for both, not as good as hers (probably because of the substitutions) but still good!

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        October 18, 2022 at 1:46 pm

        I am glad Sean you liked the recipe. I think many Czech babickas (grannies) used to make this kind of sheet cake!

        Reply
    4. Jan

      January 18, 2023 at 6:50 pm

      Recipe amounts were way off. Don’t try it as you will get dried out heavy lump of dough.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        January 21, 2023 at 9:49 am

        Jan, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the recipe. I checked the quantities, and everything seems to be fine. Did you please use a kitchen scale to accurately weigh the ingredients? When making baked goods, it's better than measuring with cups.

        Reply

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    Hi there, I’m Petra, a self-taught home cook and a Czech mom of two teen boys with more than 20 years of cooking experience. I am here to share traditional recipes from the Czech Republic, a small country in the very heart of Europe.

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