Name: Old-Fashioned Blueberry Buckle
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: ½ cup all-purpose flour; ¼ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup light brown sugar; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; Pinch of kosher salt; Pinch of nutmeg; ¼ cup salted butter, melted; ¾ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup salted butter, softened at room temperature; 1 egg, at room temperature; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon almond extract; ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature ((or sub with regular milk)); 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 2 cups fresh blueberries, divided (about 1 pint)

Enjoy fresh summer produce in this easy, old-fashioned blueberry buckle recipe! You'll love the cinnamon streusel topping!

Total Time: 1 hour

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Side shot of a slice of blueberry buckle cake with cinnamon streusel topping

Enjoy fresh summer produce in this easy, old-fashioned blueberry buckle recipe! The moist cake is piled high with cinnamon streusel topping, making it a perfect coffee cake for your next breakfast or brunch buffet, or a vehicle for vanilla ice cream at dessert.

Moist Blueberry Buckle

You're probably familiar with a fruit crisp or a berry cobbler, but have you ever tried a buckle?! And no -- I'm not referring to your belt! This old-fashioned blueberry buckle recipe is a classic cake that works well for both breakfast and dessert! Made from scratch, the buckle has a moist, tender crumb and a rich, buttery, cinnamon streusel topping. Pair a slice with a cup of coffee in the morning, with a glass of iced tea for an afternoon snack, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a late-night treat. It's truly the best blueberry buckle recipe ever!

What does buckle mean in baking?

Buckle is a member of the cobbler family, and it consists of fruit and cake that are baked together with a streusel topping. It's essentially a coffee cake with fruit added to the mix! Some folks prefer a buckle in the morning as a breakfast or brunch dish with a mug of hot coffee, while others like a buckle dessert in the evening. How about both?! This is one of those great recipes that you can enjoy at any time of day.

Why do they call it blueberry buckle?

This old-fashioned treat is called a blueberry buckle because the streusel topping and the berries in this moist fruit cake weigh down the batter as it bakes, causing the top to look "buckled."

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you'll need for a blueberry buckle coffee cake. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

All-purpose flour: the base of both the cake and the topping.
Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: to sweeten the cake and the streusel.
Cinnamon and nutmeg: warm spices for the topping.
Kosher salt: to enhance the other flavors in the dish and balance out the sweetness.
Butter: for moisture and flavor in both the topping and in the cake.
Egg: for structure.
Vanilla extract and almond extract: to flavor the cake batter. You can omit the almond extract if you don't have any, but I think that it gives the dish that extra something special!
Buttermilk: gives the cake batter a tender crumb, a little bit more rise, and a slight tang. You can substitute with regular milk in this recipe, if necessary. It will still be great!
Baking powder: the leavening agent that helps the cake rise.
Blueberries: fresh, sweet and juicy in-season berries are always best.

How to Make Blueberry Buckle Cake

This classic blueberry buckle recipe comes together quickly with just a handful of basic ingredients.

Stir together the streusel topping, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Mix together the batter, then fold in half of the berries.
Spread the thick batter in a greased or parchment-lined 9-inch square baking dish.
Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top and press down gently.
Add the streusel crumb topping over all.
Bake the buckle in a 375° F oven for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

How to Store Blueberry Buckle

Package the cake in an airtight container or wrap tightly with plastic wrap. The blueberry buckle will last for 2-3 days at room temperature, about 1 week in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Recipe Variations

I like the slight tang and the moist, tender crumb that you get from buttermilk in the batter; however, whole milk or low-fat milk will work as a substitute in this recipe.
You can make blueberry buckle with frozen blueberries, but it's not my preference. The frozen blueberries tend to bleed and turn the batter an odd greenish-blue color. If using frozen berries, do not thaw them before adding them to the batter.
To make a larger blueberry buckle recipe in a 9 x 13-inch dish, double all of the ingredients. Make sure that your pan is nice and deep, because the buckle will rise quite high and you don't want it to overflow in the oven. You will likely need to increase the total baking time by a few extra minutes to account for the larger cake.
Swap out the almond extract and make a lemon blueberry buckle instead. Add about 1-2 teaspoons of freshly-grated lemon zest to the batter.
Garnish the streusel topping with thinly-sliced almonds or slivered almonds for some added crunch before baking.

Tips for the Best Blueberry Buckle Recipe

Line the baking dish with an overhang of parchment paper and grease well if you'd like to be able to lift the entire cake out of the pan before slicing (as shown here). Otherwise, just grease the pan well and cut out slices directly from the dish.
Add half of the berries to the batter, and reserve the other half for the top. This way you have sweet, juicy berries in every bite, and you can see the beautiful fruit as the topping buckles.
If you're worried that the berries in your batter will sink, you can toss that first cup of blueberries with about 1-2 teaspoons of flour before stirring them in. I don't think this is necessary, though. The berries don't sink much in the thick batter!
Since the batter is very thick, I find that it's easiest to spread it in an even layer in the pan if you moisten your hands or spatula with a little bit of water first.
The total baking time will vary depending on your individual oven, as well as the type of baking dish that you're using. For instance, metal pans or a cast iron skillet will bake the cake faster than a glass or ceramic dish (shown here). As a result, it's best to check the cake after about 35 minutes, and pull it out when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If you're offering the cake for dessert, serve a warm slice with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream for the ultimate treat!

More Blueberry Recipes to Try

Here are some more recipes to make with a bounty of fresh blueberries this season:

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