Blueberry Buckle

Name: Blueberry Buckle
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: ½ cup all-purpose flour ((60g)); ¼ cup packed light brown sugar ((55g)); 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened); 1½ cups all-purpose flour ((180g)); 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ cup unsalted butter (softened (113g)); 1 cup granulated sugar ((200g)); 2 teaspoons lemon zest; 2 large eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ½ cup whole milk ((120mL)); 2½ cups fresh blueberries ((394g))

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If you’ve never tried a blueberry buckle, it’s similar to a blueberry coffee cake but softer and even more similar to a blueberry cobbler, except the crumb is more cake-like. It has a tender interior with juicy blueberries in each bite, and the golden crumbly streusel on top of it is so irresistible that its become one of my favorite blueberry desserts. It’s perfect for serving with a cup of coffee or tea during the day but doubles as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream on top.

You will love how easy it is to whip up with simple ingredients. It’s the perfect cake to have on your counter to snack on throughout the week. It’s sweet and moist, and the pops of blueberries make it so refreshing. You’ll absolutely love this cake after taking your first bite.

If you want another easy, old-fashioned dessert recipe, then try my crumb cake, dump cake, or coffee cake recipe!

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make a blueberry buckle.

Flour — you’ll need flour for both the streusel topping and buckle batter. You don’t need anything fancy for this recipe, just all-purpose flour.

Sugar — this recipe uses white granulated sugar and brown sugar. I love the caramel flavor that brown sugar adds to the streusel topping. If you do not have brown sugar, then see my guide on how to make brown sugar. White sugar, on the other hand, adds sweetness to the cake.

Cinnamon — cinnamon adds a warm flavor that’ll make your mouth water!

Baking powder — the buckle batter is dense, so the baking powder helps it rise. Make sure the baking powder is fresh and not expired.

Lemon zest — lemon zest adds a brightness to the batter that will leave you wanting another slice! Plus, nothing goes better with blueberries than lemon flavors.

Butter — I recommend using unsalted butter as the salt content in salted butter is inconsistent between different brands.

Milk — I recommend using whole milk as it adds not just flavor to the buckle, but moisture and improves the cake’s texture.

Blueberries — fresh blueberries are best! They’re the star of the show! If you’re using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. Remember that frozen blueberries add more moisture, making the cake softer, and so it will need an extra minute or so to bake. Due to the buckle batter being thick and dense, thawed frozen blueberries will fall apart as you fold the berries in.

How to Make Blueberry Buckle

Set of two photos showing flour, sugars, and cinnamon mixed with a fork in a bowl and more flour whisked in a bowl.

1. In a small bowl, stir flour, sugars, and cinnamon together. Work the butter into the flour mixture with a fork or your fingers until crumbly. Chill until ready to use.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

Set of two photos showing sugar added to a mixer with butter and then an egg added.

3. Combine the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the vanilla.

Set of two photos showing flour and milk added to the mixer.

5. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

6. Pour in half of the milk, beating until just incorporated. Repeat, alternating with the milk and flour mixture.

Set of two photos showing blueberries folded into a bowl of batter and then more berries placed on top of the buckle before baking.

7. Fold in 2 cups of blueberries.

8. Spread the cake batter into a greased 8×8-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the chilled streusel topping and the remaining ½ cup of blueberries. The cake bakes for 50 to 55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Multiple pieces of cut blueberry buckle on a cutting board with a bowl of blueberries in the background.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Do not over-mix the streusel topping, or it may become paste-like in texture. You want there to be some small pieces and crumbly texture to the topping.
Frozen blueberries may change the color of your batter as the berries thaw in the batter, but don’t worry, the buckle will still taste amazing.
When zesting a lemon, stop zesting once you reach the white layer, as it’s bitter.
If you don’t have enough blueberries, you can add any fruit instead of blueberries, such as raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.
Make sure you set aside enough time for the blueberry buckle to cool before serving. It’ll crumble if you try to slice the buckle while it’s hot from the oven.
Make sure to measure your flour correctly. I highly recommend always using a scale to measure. However, if you don’t have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon and spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is best for measuring flour without overpacking the measuring cup.

A plate with a piece of blueberry buckle with the corner bit on a fork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called a buckle?

This blueberry buckle got its name due to its unique baking process. As the batter rises, the blueberries and streusel don’t rise along with the batter due to their weight, resulting in a surface that appears slightly sunken or “buckled.”

How do I store leftovers?

This cake keeps for up to 3 days on the counter. Make sure to wrap it tightly or transfer it to an airtight container. You can warm up the cake in the microwave or oven before serving or enjoy it as is.

Can I freeze this?

You can store this recipe for blueberry buckle in the freezer! Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and cover it with tin foil. It keeps for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply thaw it in the fridge overnight, bring it to room temperature, or reheat it in the oven or microwave. You can freeze individual pieces for an easy grab-and-go snack or the entire cake.

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If you’ve tried this Blueberry Buckle recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!