Blueberry Buckle is what I'd call a timeless dessert, and this recipe is a solid version. It has a buttery cake base, sweet pockets of fresh blueberries, and a crunchy streusel topping. It's an old-fashioned dessert that feels both nostalgic comforting. This is an old photo which I tried to enlarge. I'll take a new one soon, but this gives you an idea of what it looks like.
A Bit of History
Blueberry Buckle dates back to at least the early 20th century. It often appeared in community cookbooks and farmhouse kitchens as a way to highlight seasonal berries. Cousin to other rustic fruit desserts like cobblers, crisps, and crumbles, buckles are unique in that they start with a cake batter. Also, the name "buckle" refers to the way the cake batter rises and "buckles" around the fruit and topping as it bakes. The result is a moist cake with a jammy blueberry layer and a sweet, crisp crumble on top.
Baking Tips for the Best Buckle
- Use Fresh or Frozen Blueberries: If using frozen, don't thaw them. Just toss them with a spoonful of flour to prevent sinking and excess moisture.
- Don't Overmix the Batter: Stir until just combined for a tender crumb. Overmixing can make the cake dense.
- Streusel Matters: A good buckle has a generous layer of buttery streusel. Make sure your topping is well mixed and crumbly before sprinkling over the batter.
- Pan Size: Most buckles are baked in an 8 or 9-inch square pan, but you can also use a round cake pan or even a springform for a prettier presentation.
This recipe was originally written by Sue who has a blog (which she hasn't updated in a while) called Basically Baked.
Recipe
Blueberry Buckle
Ingredients
Topping
- ½ cup sugar (100 grams)
- ⅓ cup flour (45 grams)
- ½ teaspon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter (salted) (42 grams)
Batter
- ½ cup butter, salted (room temperature) (114 grams)
- ¾ cup sugar (150 grams)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup milk (120 grams)
- 1 ½ cups flour, sifted after measuring (190 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups well drained fresh blueberries sometimes I use the entire pint
Instructions
- Prepare the topping. In a mixing bowl, rub together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter until the mixture forms an evenly fine crumb. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch pan with butter, and set aside.
- Using a hand held mixer, mix together the sugar and butter until it's fluffy. Add the egg and mix until creamy. Stir in the milk.
- Sift the dry ingredients together onto a sheet of waxed paper and then add to the milk mixture and stir until evenly mixed.
- Fold in the blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the topping is golden and a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted in the center.
Anna says
Hi Ludmilla,
C. = cup. An American cup = 8 fluid oz or about 240 ml
T. = tablespoons. An American tablespoon = 15 ml
Ludmila says
Hi, i'm from Argentina and i don't get the proportions... what is:
"C" AND "T" please help me! it looks delicious!
shaheen says
We don't have these in the U.K, so its a refreshing way to use blueberries.
betty says
this looks delicious i have some frozen blueberries at home that i could use these for yum!
Sue says
Katrina- I'll have to check out Dorie's recipe. I'll bet it's good!
Gloria- Simple and delicious are good adjectives for this.
Nicola-The blueberries have been especially good lately. This is always a good way to use them.
NICOLA LOMBARDI says
wow these look gorgeous! love anything to do with blueberries!
Gloria says
Sue, this recipe looks simple and delicious. I like that it uses ingredients most of us have on hand-especially blueberries in the summer! You and Katrina are taking good care of Cookie Madness while Anna is away!
Katrina says
We made a blueberry coffee cake for TWD a while back and this looks similar and was SO good. I've been loving this blueberry season, so I'll have to give this a try. Great pick and nice post, Sue.