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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Yeast Coffee Cake with Blueberries

    Published: Jul 10, 2022 · Modified: Jan 8, 2025 by Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    • 905shares

    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.

    ➜ 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.

    For perfect dough rising, I recommend this simple ✅ Dough Proofer by Czech brand Tescoma (affiliate link). I use it myself and am very satisfied!

    ⤍ Or 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.

    My tip: You can make similar sheet cake using fresh apricots! It is another treasure from Czech cuisine.

    ➜ 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! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Other readers and I love hearing what you think. Stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Pinterest. For more Czech stuff, subscribe to my newsletter!

    Blueberry yeast coffee cake.

    Blueberry Yeast Coffee Cake

    Author: Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs
    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
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    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 40 minutes mins
    Leavening:: 45 minutes mins
    Total Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
    Servings: 16 slices

    Tap or hover to scale

    Ingredients 

    Yeast dough:

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅔ cup lukewarm milk
    • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
    • ½ stick unsalted butter softened
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Topping:

    • 26 ounces blueberries fresh, washed and drained
    • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar to sprinkle over blueberries

    Streusel:

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ⅔ stick unsalted butter
    • ½ cup granulated sugar

    Instructions 

    • Activate dry yeast: Pour ⅔ cup lukewarm milk (warm but not hot) into a glass. Stir in a teaspoon of granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons active dry yeast. Leave in a warm place for 15 minutes to bubble.
    • Make yeast dough: Sift 3 cups all-purpose flour into a large mixing bowl. Add pieces of ½ stick unsalted butter, 2 egg yolks, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon 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 plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and leave it to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes. After about half an hour, knead the dough quickly to encourage further rising.
    • Make streusel topping: Meanwhile, make a buttery streusel crumble. Place ⅔ stick unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup all-purpose flour in a bowl and rub between your fingers until you get a crumbs.
    • Prepare baking sheet: Grease a baking sheet with a piece of butter. Spread the risen dough on the sheet, using your fingers to press it thinly to the edges. Using the edge of your palm, shape slightly raised rims along the perimeter of the sheet.
    • Pour 26 ounces blueberries in a thick layer over the prepared dough, and sprinkle them with sugar; about 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar per sheet. Finally, top the blueberries with the streusel crumble.
    • Bake the cake: Bake the blueberry cake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (lower and upper heating) for 35-40 minutes. Edges of the cake turn golden brown.

    Notes

    • The basic recipe 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.

    Nutritional estimate pro serving

    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
    Servings: 16 slices
    Calories pro serving: 252
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Fruit cake
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    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.

    For perfect dough rising, I recommend this simple ✅ Dough Proofer by Czech brand Tescoma (affiliate link). I use it myself and am very satisfied!

    • 905shares

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    Comments

    1. Daria says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:42 pm

      How much dry east? The recipe doesn’t say

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        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 says

      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 says

        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 says

      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 says

        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 says

      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 says

        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 am Petra, born and raised in the Czech Republic, a self-taught home cook with over 20 years of experience. I am on a mission to keep Czech culinary heritage alive by sharing cherished recipes & stories with nostalgic hearts worldwide.

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