You can absolutely make this cake with frozen blueberries, but keep in mind that they release more juice than fresh ones. Be sure to thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid. To help absorb the extra moisture and prevent a soggy base, it’s a good idea to sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of ground almonds over the cake batter before adding the berries.
While an electric mixer makes the process quickest and easiest, the cake can also be prepared by hand without much trouble. Use a pastry cutter or a butter knife to mix the streusel ingredients in a large bowl, and a wooden spoon—with a bit of elbow grease—to beat the cake batter.
German Blueberry Cake
German Blueberry Cake is a traditional fruit-filled dessert with a buttery crust and sweet-tart blueberry center, perfect for summer or cozy gatherings. Easy to customize and rich in history, it’s a timeless treat beloved across generations.
Ingredients
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
- 125 g unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 125 g granulated sugar
- 125 g all-purpose plain flour
Cake Ingredients:
- 125 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 125 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 250 g all-purpose plain flour
- 15 g baking powder approximately 3 level teaspoons
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- A pinch of salt
- 750 g fresh blueberries washed and thoroughly dried
For Serving:
- Powdered sugar icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
PREHEAT THE OVEN:
- Set your oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease the sides of a 26 cm (10-inch) springform cake pan and line the base with baking parchment.
PREPARE THE STREUSEL:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the butter, sugar, and flour on low speed until the mixture forms coarse, crumb-like pieces. Once it has a pebbly texture, transfer it to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge while you prepare the cake batter.
MAKE THE CAKE BATTER:
- Switch to the paddle attachment and beat the butter until it's soft and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
MIX IN DRY INGREDIENTS:
- Sift the flour and baking powder directly into the bowl. Add the lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Mix everything together on low speed just until the batter is smooth and no dry flour remains—avoid overmixing.
- ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Spread the batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan using a spatula. Scatter the blueberries over the batter (don’t worry if it looks like too many—they’ll reduce as they bake). Evenly sprinkle the chilled streusel topping over the berries to cover them as uniformly as possible.
BAKE:
- Place the cake on the lower rack of your preheated oven and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling. Due to the high fruit content, a cake tester won't give an accurate reading—use visual cues instead. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
COOL AND SERVE:
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, move it to a serving platter and dust the top with powdered sugar before serving.