Blueberry buckle is an old-fashioned recipe made with a moist vanilla cake studded with fresh blueberries. It’s simple and rustic, especially with that sweet crumbly streusel on top!
If you’re a fan of blueberry recipes, you’ll also love making these Lemon blueberry muffins and Blueberry waffles and this favorite easy blueberry pie!
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Best Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake
Very few recipes are as tried and true as a blueberry buckle! It dates back to Colonial times, and is still a showstopper today!
This recipe stands out not because it’s a moist coffee cake, or because of the buttery streusel topping. It’s not even the fresh blueberries. It stands out because of the combination of all three of those things. Without even one of those things, it wouldn’t be the same!
It’s a great recipe for using up wild blueberries during blueberry season, and because it’s a coffee cake, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert. Whether it’s with your morning coffee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream after dinner, this buckle made with juicy blueberries is bound to become one of your favorite blueberry desserts!
Ingredients/shopping list
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll down to the full recipe card with amounts
- Flour: All-purpose flour is what I used. Gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One gluten free flour typically works wonderful too.
- Leavening agents: You’ll need baking powder and baking soda to help keep the cake nice and light but also give it a fluffy rise. Make sure they’re still fresh!
- Sugars: Use white granulated sugar and brown sugar in the cake batter. The brown sugar adds a warm caramelized flavor which pairs great with vanilla.
- Butter: I use salted butter and a bit of added salt, you’ll notice, but you can use unsalted if preferred. Bring the butter to room temperature so it’s soft enough to cream.
- Eggs: These not only help to bind the buckle batter when it’s baked, but they also help keep the cake moist.
- Milk: Whole milk will contain more fat giving the batter extra richness, but you can use any milk you want.
- Vanilla extract: A vanilla cake needs vanilla!
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and sprinkle some fresh lemon zest on top of the streusel topping right before you serve it.
2. For a bolder flavor, add ¼ teaspoon of either cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter.
3. Make this buckle cake using a different berry. Try raspberries or blackberries next time. Or a combination of a few!
4. Drizzle a homemade glaze on top. My favorite homemade glaze is ½ cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. I use milk to adjust to my desired consistency.
How to Make Blueberry Buckle
This recipe will come together with simple pantry staples and fresh blueberries. There’s a reason a blueberry buckle has been around this long!
Step 1: Make the topping in a medium bowl by mixing the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Use a fork or pastry cutter to mix in the butter until it turns to coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
Step 3: In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and creamy. This will be about 2 minutes using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Step 4: Add the eggs and gently beat until they’re incorporated. Then, add the milk and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Carefully add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be very careful not to overmix for the cake will become more dense.
Step 6: Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and then pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the rest of the juicy blueberries on top of the batter.
Step 7: Add the streusel overtop, making sure it’s evenly distributed. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven in the center rack for 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
What is the difference between a coffee cake and a buckle?
A buckle cake is a coffee cake with the addition of fruit. When it bakes, the cake crumb “buckles” around the fruit. A coffee cake is usually any single-layer cake that has a crumb or streusel topping. Sometimes a glaze! So, all buckle cakes are coffee cakes, but not all coffee cakes are buckles.
Tips
- Use either an electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Either way make sure not to overmix. You want a soft moist cake crumb!
- If using frozen berries, I do recommend thawing them first. However, if you don’t have time, you’ll just need to slightly increase the bake time of your delicious blueberry buckle.
- Serve it with a cup of coffee for a delicious breakfast or snack.
- This recipe can serve up to 20 people, depending on whether you cut small pieces or slightly more generous-sized squares.
- Let the cake cool slightly before serving.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Store leftover blueberry buckle in an airtight container and keep it refrigerated. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Coffee cakes like this freeze very well. I like to cover it with a laayer of plastic wrap then a light layer of aluminum foil. Then place it in a freezer bag. You can also freeze individual slices the same way! Then thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. I love to quickly heat mine in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to get it a little warm again.
FAQ’s
You can. Many an original recipe will call for cake flour. I don’t typically keep it on hand, so all-purpose is my go-to. Just remember, it’s not a 1:1 ratio.
If you are using cake flour, you’ll have to use 2 Tablespoons extra cake flour for every 1 cup of All-purpose flour. For this recipe, you’ll need an extra 5 tablespoons (or ½ cup) of cake flour for a total of 3 cups of cake flour.
Use different summer fruits or berries in place of the blueberries or along with them. You can make a buckle cake with cherries, strawberries, peaches, rhubarb, raspberries, blackberries, pears, mango, you name it!
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Easy Blueberry Buckle
Ingredients
For the Streusel topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter room temp
For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter salted, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups fresh blueberries
Instructions
Make the topping:
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Add the butter and, using a fork, blend until crumbly. Set aside.½ cup salted butter
Make the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. F and spray a 9×13” baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the white sugar, butter and brown sugar. (use the bowl a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment if you’d like)⅔ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup butter, 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Then add in the eggs and blend for 30 seconds just until incorporated.2 eggs
- Lastly, blend in the milk and vanilla extract.½ cup milk, 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Working in batches, add in the flour mixture and mix until just barely combined.
- Gently stir in 2 cups of the blueberries using a rubber spatula.3 cups fresh blueberries
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and top with remaining one cup of blueberries.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top.
- Bake for 55 minutes in the center rack of the preheated oven.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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