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Blueberry Buckle is a blueberry-studded cake topped with a sweet cinnamon-streusel topping that “buckles” as it cools.
Early in my career in the Boston area, I worked with a lovely woman named Jane. One day, Jane announced that she would be bringing in some of her Blueberry Buckle the following morning.
The Blueberry Buckle was originally Jane’s grandmother’s recipe, and I soon learned from my co-workers that this was considered a Very Special Event in the office! And the next morning, the air in the office was literally buzzing with anticipation as we waited for Jane to arrive with The Buckle.
We all watched as Jane finally walked off the elevator – carrying her blueberry buckle – with a big, knowing smile on her face. We followed Jane to the office kitchen and collectively said “ooh!” as she revealed the blueberry buckle in the baking pan, which she had thoughtfully wrapped in a dish towel so it would stay warm during her commute to the office. Carefully she served each of us a piece – and then we dove in!
What is a buckle?
A buckle is an old-fashioned single layered cake interspersed with berries and with a streusel-type topping that “buckles” as it cools.
There is one word for that blueberry buckle: sublime. Not too sweet, perfectly moist, warm and bursting with berries. OK – that was more than one word, but this is a must-try recipe!
Jane was nice enough to share her recipe with us that day, and we’re now sharing it with you. Scroll down to see this Blueberry Buckle recipe, as well as video showing how we make it!
To Jane and her grandmother, wherever you are…thank you for sharing your recipe, and I hope we have done your family recipe proud!
This recipe was originally published on A Family Feast in January 2013. The photos and recipe have been updated.
You may like these other blueberry recipes:
- Lemon Blueberry Cream Pie
- 25 Best Blueberry Recipes
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
- Blueberry Pudding Cake
- The Real Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins Recipe
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Blueberry Buckle
Blueberry Buckle is a blueberry-studded cake topped with a sweet cinnamon-streusel topping that “buckles” as it cools.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- Additional shortening and flour to prepare the baking pan
For the topping
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until blended. Then add the milk and mix again until blended.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture slowly until blended. Fold in the blueberries.
- Grease and flour a 9×9 or 8×10 pan. Spread the blueberry batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the cake mixture in the pan.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes for an 8×10 pan or 45-50 minutes for an 9×9 pan (until cake tester comes out clean). Other size baking pans may be used – just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Serve warm or cold, plain or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
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Just a suggestion: If you are using frozen blueberries, toss them with a bit of flour before you mix them with the other ingredients. That will help keep the blueberries from “bleeding” all over the cake and making your crumbs blue.
I’ve made other blueberry breakfast cakes. Looking forward to this one!
Thanks for sharing that tip Deborah!
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Martha
This recipe is from a Betty Crockery cookbook published in 1958.
Thank you!!
I’m planning on making this for the second time for my husband to take to work. Do you think it would still come out good if i combined all the ingredients and put it in the fridge over night and then just popped it in the oven in the morning? I always get nervous when making something for other people in a way that i’ve not made it before. It was wonderful the first time around and I really want it to come out the same this second time.
Hi Rose! I haven’t tried refrigerating it overnight before baking… I would be concerned that it might not rise during the baking process if it is mixed that far in advance! You could measure everything out the night before and then mix it together as soon as you wake up? That might help save some time! Hope that helps! Martha
It’s in the oven now. I can’t wait to taste it. My Mom always made blueberry cake or bb muffins with blueberries that my Dad would pick in the wild. We are lucky here in the North to get such a wonderful fresh treat. We freeze them and have them all year! Thanks for posting this recipe.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do Cheryl! Thanks for stopping by!
Martha
Blueberry buckle is truly one of my favorite treats! The one I make has more blueberries than cake and is so yummy! Yours looks so pretty.
This is one of my favourite cakes! I also love the moist and sweet, but not too sweet, berry-filled treat! And the crumb – aka buckle, is the best part! Yum – need to make this soon! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Malin! Enjoy!
This is fabulous! Pinned!
Thanks Dorothy!
Can I just tell you that I LOVE breakfast cakes… this looks amazing! Thanks so much for sharing at my Super Saturday Show & Tell party today! Please come again next week. xoxo~ Ruthie
Thanks Ruthie!!
My mom made blueberry buckle when I was growing up. To this day it remains one of my favorite desserts. I think hers had nutmeg in the streusel too.
I’ll have to try that the next time! Thanks for stopping by!
Yum these look delicious. I love blueberry desserts and will definitely have to try these!