Enjoy blueberries? Our blueberry coffee cake, also known as boy bait, uses blueberries and peaches that are baked in a dense, buttery cake and topped with a quick jam and cinnamon crumble.
Looking for more summer peach and blueberry dessert ideas? Try our peach cobbler and blueberry frangipane. They're yummy!
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About
Way back in 1954, fifteen-year-old Renny Powell submitted her recipe for blueberry boy bait to the junior division of the Pillsbury Bake Off. She won second place for this delicious blueberry recipe, and it's become well loved today. People say that this dessert got its name because boys love it so much!
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you'll need to make blueberry coffee cake or boy bait? Fortunately, this simple recipe takes a lot of basic ingredients you probably already have. Let's talk about the most important ingredients.
- Blueberries: Feel free to use fresh or frozen berries in this recipe. There's no need to defrost frozen ones before you use them.
- Peaches: I like to use a cheap brand of canned peaches, which means they'll be soft and easy to eat in the coffee cake.
- Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon in the crumble topping really enhances the flavor. My favorite cinnamon for baking is Saigon cinnamon (affiliate).
- Demerara Sugar: Sprinkling the coffee cake with this coarse brown sugar adds a subtle sparkle and crunch to the dessert. It is an optional step, but I'd definitely recommend it!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make
Start by measuring out the ingredients for our blueberry coffee cake.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to put a tablespoon of flour in with each egg to prevent the batter from curdling. Pour in the peach juice and half the flour, then mix. Dump in the milk and mix in the remaining flour until the batter is smooth.
4. Spread the batter in a buttered 9 by 13-inch cake pan and sprinkle the blueberries and canned peaches on top.
5. Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes, until it is golden brown and springs back when pressed with a fingertip. Meanwhile, place more blueberries, peaches, sugar, and flour in a saucepan to make the jam topping.
6. Cook the blueberry jam mixture over medium-low heat for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's thickened.
7. Spread the blueberry jam on top.
8. Put all the crumble ingredients in a small bowl and combine them until a dough forms.
9. Scatter little pieces of crumble dough over the top of the blueberry jam, sprinkle with demerara sugar, then bake for about 15 minutes until set.
10. Are you hungry yet? A big slice of this blueberry boy bait will be just the thing!
This peach and blueberry boy bait recipe is inspired by Ruth Clemens' recipe on the Pink Whisk, and Jenn Segal's Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe on Once Upon a Chef.
Recipe FAQs
No, it is best to store it in an airtight container after it's fully cooled and keep it at room temperature. This helps the coffee cake keep it's texture.
Definitely butter. While both contribute fat to the dessert, the butter also adds flavor giving the coffee cake a richer taste. Butter also works better for the crumb topping since it is solid and works to bind the ingredients together. Then as it heats up it melts into the coffee cake.
The biggest difference between the two is that regular cakes are often covered with icing, frosting or glaze while coffee cakes are usually made with fruit and nuts and often include a crumb topping made from butter, sugar and cinnamon mixed together. Most traditional cakes are served after cooling while coffee cakes is served warm.
No, it gets its name because it is often served for breakfast or brunch with a cup of coffee rather than as a dessert.
Serve
Looking for other cake recipes? You'll definitely want to try our recipes for red velvet cake and maple walnut budnt cake. Love lemon cakes? Try our recipes for lemon blueberry cake, lemon poppy seed cake, and lemon pudding cakes.
Store
- Make ahead: After baking, let it cool, cover tightly, and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Cut it in slices, seal in a zip-top bag, and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature or in the microwave.
Expert Tips
- Butter the pan for easy removal.
- If you're using frozen blueberries, make sure to use them straight from the freezer. Thawed blueberries release too many juices, discoloring the cake and possibly causing the jam not to set.
- Be careful not to overbake the cake, or it will be dry. It will be baked twice, so it's better for it to be a little underdone than overdone.
- Stir the jam frequently, and keep the heat low so it doesn't burn.
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Recipe
Blueberry Coffee Cake (Boy Bait)
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- scant 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 8 ounces canned peaches, drained
- ¼ cup peach juice reserved from can
- ¼ cup whole milk
For the Jam
- 1 ⅓ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 8 ounces canned peaches, drained
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
For the Crumble & Decoration
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tablespoons demerara sugar
Equipment
Instructions
Making the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter the base and sides of a 9 by 13-inch pan.
- Drain a 29-ounce (822g) can of sliced peaches, reserving the juice. Set aside half of the peaches, then chop the remaining peaches into bite-sized pieces.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
- Cream the softened butter and brown sugar in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible silicone spatula.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add a tablespoon of the flour mixture with each egg to prevent the batter from curdling.
- Pour in ¼ cup (60 ml) of the reserved peach juice, then add half of the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until blended, then add the milk and remaining flour mixture. Mix until well combined, but be careful not to overbeat or it will be tough.
- Spread the batter evenly in the buttered pan and sprinkle the blueberries and chopped peaches on top.
- Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes, until it's a pale golden on top and springs back when gently poked with a fingertip. Let the cake cool a little on a wire rack while you prepare the jam and crumble.
Making the Blueberry Jam
- Pour the reserved peach slices, frozen blueberries, sugar, and flour into a medium saucepan. Set over medium-low heat and stir frequently for about 7 minutes, until the fruit has cooked down and the jam has thickened. Cut up the peaches with a spoon as they cook, but try not to mash the fruit too much; we're looking for a chunky jam.
- Spread the jam on top of the warm cake.
Making the Crumble
- Stir together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips, then knead a few times until the dough-like mixture is well blended.
- Crumble up the dough and scatter it on top of the jam and coffee cake. Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of demerara sugar on top for decoration.
- Bake the boy bait at 350 F for about 15-20 minutes, until the crumble has spread and set a little. Serve the blueberry boy bait at room temperature, warm, or cold. It tastes especially good with vanilla pudding, ice cream, or custard.
Notes
- If you're using frozen blueberries, make sure they're still frozen when you use them in the recipe, or they will release too many juices.
- Butter the pan for easy removal.
- Be careful not to overbake the coffee cake, or it will be dry. It will be baked twice, so it's better for it to be a little underdone than overdone.
- Stir the blueberry jam frequently, and keep the heat low so it doesn't burn.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Kate
Super easy to follow and tastes absolutely delicious 😋
Emma
So glad you enjoyed it, Kate! Thanks for your lovely review!
Joan McCutchon
I haven't made this yet, but it looks like a winner!
😁
Emma
Thank you!! 😊