Every Christmas, my mom’s parents fly out to spend the holiday with us. On the morning of December 24, all six of us pile into the car and drive half an hour to our favorite brunch restaurant to celebrate my grandparents’ anniversary. Yes, they were married on Christmas Eve!
There are only a handful of these restaurants, all in Northern California, but they make the best blueberry coffee cake you’ll ever find. Tall squares of tender sour cream cake, packed full of juicy berries, and topped with a thick layer of cinnamon sugar streusel. It’s a meal all by itself!
However, up until high school, I was completely convinced that I didn’t like fruit in my cake. Bananas were fine in muffins—but not berries—and cakes were supposed to be plain and topped with frosting. Besides, the restaurant sold super cute funny face pancakes complete with chocolate chip smiles… Which I ordered from the kids’ menu well past their 10-year-old cut-off date.
But one Christmas when my grandparents came to visit, I decided to be brave and select something from the regular menu instead. I opted for a simple ham and cheese omelette, and when the waiter asked which coffee cake I wanted, blueberry or cranberry, I actually replied with the latter, much to everyone’s surprise. Nobody ever chose their seasonal flavor… We’re a family of purists!
When the piece came, I cautiously took a bite. Then another. And another. Before everyone else finished their entrées, I had wiped the plate clean! Those tangy berries combined with the sweet streusel (and melted butter… so much melted butter on top!) was the perfect combination. And now years later, I finally recreated it at home with this Cranberry Crumb Coffee Cake!
Unlike the original, I made mine a little healthier. It’s entirely clean eating friendly, meaning it contains nothing processed or overly refined. Whole wheat flour, maple syrup, and butter (no vegetable oil!).
To lighten up the cake without sacrificing the tender texture, I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Greek yogurt adds all of the moisture for a fraction of the fat and calories. It’s my secret weapon in healthier baking!
To maximize the tangy flavor, use fresh cranberries. They turn juicy and tender in the oven, and their color darkens to the most gorgeous shade of red. Dried just can’t compare! But if you want to make this coffee cake out of season, then be sure to hydrate the dried cranberries first. It only takes a few minutes, and it prevents them from soaking up all of the cake’s moisture.
And the streusel… Oh you guys, I am such a sucker for streusel! I always save the bits with the thickest amount of cinnamon sugar for last. Does anybody else do that? I added a thick layer to the top of this coffee cake because it just wouldn’t be the same without it!
Umm, yes. There are no words. Besides… “Cake. For. Breakfast.”
And that’s definitely something I can get behind!
This easy breakfast cake is perfect for the holidays! It tastes best when it’s slightly warm and served with a bit of melted butter on top. Pure bliss! Store any leftovers slices in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the topping, stir together the flour and cinnamon. Thoroughly mix in the butter and maple syrup. Set aside.
- To prepare the cake, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Mix in the yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the maple syrup. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Fold in the cranberries.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter. (The crumb topping tends to clump, so try to break it up into small chocolate chip-sized pieces.) Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes: I highly recommend fresh cranberries! If you must use dried, then hydrate them first so that they don’t soak up all of the cake’s moisture. Add the dried cranberries to a microwave-safe bowl, cover them completely with water, and top with a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 45-60 seconds. Let the dried cranberries sit and absorb moisture until you’re ready to add them to the batter. Drain them completely before folding in.
I used whole wheat pastry flour for the cake to give it a lighter texture and crumb. The topping doesn’t need that lighter texture, hence the regular whole wheat flour. You can easily substitute one for the other, if you desire.
If you prefer, coconut oil may be substituted in place of the butter. Coconut oil will work fine in the cake, but I can't guarantee the results of using it in the crumb topping.
{clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
Renee says...
Hi Amy, Do you think that another fruit would work? I’m not a fan of cranberries but I have been craving a crumb cake!
Amy says...
Yes, I think that other fruits would work Renee! Use the same amount, and make sure the fruit pieces are no larger than cranberries. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you choose and how the coffee cake turns out!
baking addiction says...
I do not have wheat flour, please tell me that regular white flour will be okay, it’s miserable outside and I do not want to venture out to the grocery.
Thanks Amy!
PS made your cranberry orange muffins and added walnuts, everyone loved them!
Amy says...
Yes, all-purpose flour will be just fine! It’s been raining a lot lately where I live, so I completely understand not wanting to go to the grocery store. 🙂 I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the muffins, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of this coffee cake too!
Sarah says...
Cake # 2 in the books for today. This is so yummy! I did use the coconut oil in place of the butter in both parts and it’s truly scrumptious. Also, my store didn’t have the pastry flour 😕 and I refused to substitute all purpose or all whole wheat, so I mixed half whole wheat and half cake flour (unenriched and unbleached) and this cake is light and fluffy and perfect. Thank you again for a wonderful recipe 🙌🏻
Amy says...
I’m so happy you enjoyed this cake, Sarah! I’m glad that flour blend turned out so well in your cake. Thank you for taking the time to let me know — I always love hearing what recipe tweaks work! 🙂