Must-try Berry Crumb Cake Recipe with a buttery crunchy topping, juicy layer of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries and a soft, airy cake. This crumb cake rises beautifully and looks stunning. No one has to know it’s SUPER EASY!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
There is a surprising liquid ingredient in this cake which creates light and fluffy forkfuls of cake. Watch the crumb cake video recipe and print the recipe below!
➡ PIN This Recipe to Your Dessert Board HERE
Berry Crumb Cake Recipe:
We absolutely love these single layer easy summer cake recipes like our (most popular) Blueberry Lemon Cake, this Easy Peasy Strawberry Cake, or our gluten free Almond Cake! They are quick to make and they disappear even faster. You don’t need any special equipment and most are baked in a single Springform pan (Amazon affiliate link).
We love this crumb cake because it’s very forgiving and you can use a variety of fruit to make it your own; even summer stone fruit like sliced peaches, plums or cherries… yum! I hope this becomes a new favorite for you.
Club Soda or Seltzer Water in Baking:
Have you tried using sparkling water in baking? The more carbonated the better! The air bubbles make baked goods fluffier along with pancakes, waffles and batters like tempura. Try your own experiments, replacing water with sparkling water/ club soda or setlzer water and see what happens!
Can I use frozen berries in baking?
- Fresh berries work best for this cake. If you are unable to get all 3 berries fresh, you can sub one of them with frozen but they may be more likely to sink deeper into the cake or discover the top of the cake.
- You can also use ONLY strawberries, or only blackberries or blueberries and have it just a single berry cake. It will still be just as delicious.
- If using all frozen berries, it would probably take a little longer to bake but check at 45 minutes for doneness.
How to Test a Cake for Doneness:
Most cake recipes will provide a range for baking times because not all ovens are created equal; some run hotter than others. If you want to ensure you are baking a moist cake, it’s always best to start checking a cake at the earlier timing given.
How to tell when a cake is done? It’s as simple as inserting a toothpick or thin wooden skewer into the center of a cake. You know the cake is done if there are no streaks of wet batter clinging to the toothpick. A few crumbs are ok but not wet batter.
Watch How to Make this Cake:
Watch Natasha Make this easy Crumb Cake. Let me know how many “TRICK SHOTS” you spot in the video and what you thought of that. I would love to hear your feedback!
P.S. If you haven’t already, please click to subscribe to our Youtube Cooking Channel and select the bell icon to receive notifications when we post a new video.
Print-Friendly Recipe for Crumb Cake:
Berry Crumb Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Berry Cake:
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest from 1 large lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup seltzer water or club soda
- 10 oz mixed berries, 2 cups*
Ingredients for Crumb Topping:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
How to Make Berry Crumb Cake Recipe:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of a springform pan with a ring of parchment paper. Grease sides lightly with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat together eggs and sugar on high speed 5 minutes until thick. Stir in 1/4 cup olive oil.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Add 1/2 flour mixture to the batter, mixing on low speed just until incorporated.
- Stir in 1 Tbsp lemon zest and 1 tsp vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 cup club soda, mixing until incorporated.
- Add remaining 1/2 of flour mixture, transfer to prepared pan and even out the top with a spatula. Place berries somewhat evenly over the top.
How to Make Crumb Topping & Assembly:
- In a medium bowl, combine the crumble topping ingredients. Rub the butter and flour together with your finger tips to create crumbs. Bake 45-50 min. until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Ours was perfect at 48 min and be sure not to over-bake or the cake will turn out dry.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
I’d pass you a slice of this loaded berry cake if I could! If you bake this cake, or any of our cakes, let me know and I’d love to see you post a picture of it in our private Facebook group (click here and request to join). Have a delicious week my friends!
Loads of Love, -Natasha
Hi Natasha,
This cake looks so yummy 😋and I just wonder if I could use a rhubarb instead of berries. Should I use same proportions of it ?
I am almost ready to make it and cannot wait to try it(pregnancy craving for something sweet and sour at the same time) 😝.
Thank you for sharing with all delicious and easy to make recipes that I will be always making for my friends and family☺️
Hi Dorota! I’m so glad you are loving the recipes, thank you!
I have not tested rhubarb to advise but it sounds amazing. Let us know how it is if you experiment with it.
It came out absolutely amazing😍for sure will make it again!
Hi Dorota! So glad you loved this recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
I baked this cake for my mom’s birthday. I then baked it and sent it for my grandmom and dad back in india.
I am making to again today!!
IT WAS AMAZING! Thank you! <3
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sakshi!
Hi Natasha! I made this berry crumb cake last year, it was so yummy. I may have left it in a bit too much cake wasn’t as moist want to make it again this Easter, can you replace buttermilk for club soda? Is that what makes it moist? Do you think it was just left in a Little too long? my oven heats faster than most….made lots of your dishes❤thank you for the tips
Hi Joy! I’m glad you loved it. I have not tested club soda to advise. This cake shouldn’t be dry, but yes, refrigeration can dry out the cake, especially if it is not kept in an airtight container. Be sure to watch my tutorial on measure your flour correctly HERE. If you are using too much flour, it will result in a dry cake crumb. Over-baking it can definitely dry it out as well, I recommend using an internal oven thermometer and adjust your temperature as needed. I hope that helps. Happy Easter!
Hi,
Is it possible to make this cake egg free while retaining the same texture. I want to bake a blueberry lemon crumble cake for my husband’s birthday!
Thank you
Hello Tanya, I haven’t tried that to advise. If you happen to experiment I would love to know how it goes.
This cake was easy to put together. I only had frozen berries and I did have to leave it in ovenabout 15 minutes longer. My crumb topping was very crumbly after baked. Wasn’t sure if was supposed to be that way. Overall a great cake for coffee.
Hi Fran! I’m glad you liked the cake. The crumble on top is crumbly but could be more crumbly depending on how your ingredients were measured or if you used too much flour and the crumb was too dry.
Hi Natasha, so I made the cake today. Was wondering why as the cake was cooling in the springform pan it started to dip in the Center quite a bit. Any idea why that would happen?
Hi Ginetta! Did you use a smaller pan by chance? I encourage the use of an internal oven thermometer if you don’t already use one. If your oven runs too hot, it could cause the cake to rise too fast and then sink in the middle. Also, be sure to measure the baking powder correctly, using too much leavening could do this. I hope that helps.
I made the berry crumb cake today, when I gotta tell ya I did everything exactly like the ingredients was written out. And it came out very dry. Will not be making this recipe again. looks very pretty though!
Hi Guadalupe. I’m sorry you had that experience. Two common reasons could be that it is over-baked. Ours was perfect at 48 min but depending on your oven, you may need to take it out sooner. It is done when a toothpick comes out clean. Also, be sure to measure your ingredientscorrectly. Using too much flour can cause it to be dry. I hope that helps if you give this recipe another try.
Hello Natasha!
As I don’t like the taste of all citrus fruits zest in desserts can I use 1 Tbsp lemon juice instead of 1 Tbsp lemon zest from 1 large lemon?
Thank you!
Hi Agrita! I think that would work.
Awesome!
As I stated last week I’m hooked.
I made this cake Last Sunday and it’s a total hit. I probably should have baked 5 minutes longer than you “different oven different altitude”.
I’ll definitely be making this one again and offen.
Altitude will impact that, but I’m so happy to hear it all worked out, Donald!