Celebrate blueberry season with this easy blueberry buckle recipe AKA the most tender, ever so slightly lemony cake LOADED with fresh blueberries.
What is blueberry buckle?
If you’ve never had blueberry buckle you’re in for a real treat. It’s a quintessential New England summer classic and for a good reason! It’s tender and moist, ever so slightly lemony, and it’s LOADED with fresh blueberries. Blueberry buckle is sort of like a blueberry crumb cake, but it’s a little bit lighter, less dense, and has wayyyyy more blueberries than a classic blueberry coffee cake.
Now I’m not quite sure why it’s called blueberry buckle. My mom says it’s because the cake “buckles” under the weight of the berries and crumb topping hence the name. I say, whatever you want to call it…it’s damn good. Plus you can serve it as a crowd pleasing breakfast, no frills dessert, or quick snack. And we can get behind a versatile baked good 🙂
What do you need to make blueberry buckle
Blueberry buckle is a Summer staple in our house. It’s a pretty quick and easy dessert, uses up tons of freshly picked bluebs and calls for simple pantry ingredients!
Butter: You’ll use butter in both the crumb topping and in the light lemon cake! We recommend using a high quality butter in any crumb cake. We love Vermont Creamery!
Sugar: This blueberry buckle recipe calls for both white and brown sugar, but if you only have one hand, you can feel to swap it out!
Flour: Flour will hold together the sandy crumb topping and give the cake a tender and delicate crumb.
Blueberries: The star ingredient! We prefer to use fresh blueberries when they’re in season, but you can always sub out frozen!
Lemon Zest: Lemon is a nonnegotiable in this blueberry buckle! It will deepen the flavor and lighten up this blueberry loaded cake.
Eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature to make sure they beat into the butter and sugar without causing anything to curdle.
Baking Powder: Baking powder will give this blueberry cake the perfect, even rise!
Buttermilk: Buttermilk will provide some acidity and tangy and help the cake rise even more. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can always make your own!
Fresh vs frozen blueberries
Now we don’t judge. We are not a wholly organic kitchen – we eat Cheetos regularly and I love me a good frozen freezer meal, but fresh blueberries are the way to go with this scrumptious blueberry buckle. Not only because they won’t seep into your batter, but also because they just taste better. In season berries are simpler, sweeter and more flavorful than the frozen ones.
There’s a big but here though. BUT…if it is not glorious blueberry season, you can sub them out for frozen blueberries! Just make sure you toss your blueberries in flour before folding them into the batter to prevent them from all sinking to the bottom of the cake or bleeding into the batter too much.
Tips for the best blueberry buckle
This blueberry buckle recipe is a quick and easy blueberry dessert to whip up on a whim. A few notes from the girl who tested it a million times though 🙂
Use high quality ingredients: This blueberry buckle recipe doesn’t call for any fancy ingredients. In simple desserts, it’s of the utmost importance to use the best ingredients because they really shine through. Use a good butter (we love Vermont Creamery!) and fresh blueberries for the best results!
Don’t forget the lemon: Lemon and blueberry isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but the hint of lemon zest really makes or breaks this blueberry buckle and gives it the most nuanced and light Summer flavor.
Enjoy all the blueberry desserts this blueberry season with this easy blueberry buckle. Enjoy!
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper on all sides.
First, make the crumb topping. Combine the brown sugar, white sugar, flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your fingers to rub the butter into the mixture until it clumps together and resembles wet sand. Set aside.
Beat the butter and the sugar together in a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the lemon zest and eggs. Mix well.
Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Add the buttermilk and mix. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Last, fold in the blueberries to distribute evenly.
Spread the batter in an even layer in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the crumb topping and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before enjoying.
Made this and it is SO delicious! Just wondering if you’ve ever tried substituting apples for the blueberries (for a fall-is dessert). Just wondering if there is anything different that should be done! Thanks so much for a lovely recipe!
Have you ever tried almond extract to replace lemon or reduce the zest? I have a family member that loves almond w blueberries. Maybe could even add some chopped almonds to the crumble? Although I probably wouldn’t, just to keep focus on the blueberries.
Hi, I made this over the weekend, and it was delicious! Just thr right amount of sweetness and loved the crumb top! I couldn’t resist trying a piece when it was still cooling off. It was warm and so moist. However, the next day it was not as moist, but nevertheless it was still good and the crumb top didn’t get soften! Do you think it was not as moist because the cake was sliced up into pieces? I am planning to make this for breakfast for the end of the school year celebration. I would prefer to make this a day in advance to be served the next morning as I am making two batches. How can I keep the cake moist? Do you think I can make the batter in advance and pour it into the pan and put it in the refrigerator overnight then just bake it in the morning? Would the baking time change since the batter and the pan is cold from the refrigerator? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Hi, I made your recipe over the weekend and it was delicious! Just the right amount of sweetness. I ate a piece when it was still warm when it was still cooling down and it was so moist. However the next day it was not as moist, but still good. I was hoping to make this for a breakfast party soon. How can I keep the cake moist for the next day if I want to bake the cake a day in advance? Or can I make the batter in advance and put the pan in the refrigerator overnight then bake in the morning? Would the baking time be the same or longer since the batter and the pan is cold? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!
It sounds like you may have overbaked it a bit if it dried out! How are you storing it? It’s also possible it just dried out from not being store airtight!
This looks wonderful but I need to make this vegan. What can I substitute the buttermilk with and can I use flax eggs? I’ll substitute the butter with vegan butter.
Michele! You can make dairy free buttermilk using a non-dairy milk and lemon juice! I’ve never tried this cake with flax eggs but I think it would work!
Leave a comment and rate this recipe!
Made this and it is SO delicious! Just wondering if you’ve ever tried substituting apples for the blueberries (for a fall-is dessert). Just wondering if there is anything different that should be done! Thanks so much for a lovely recipe!
★★★★★
Ooh I’ve never tried it but I bet it would be delicious!
Have you ever tried almond extract to replace lemon or reduce the zest? I have a family member that loves almond w blueberries. Maybe could even add some chopped almonds to the crumble? Although I probably wouldn’t, just to keep focus on the blueberries.
★★★★★
I have not! But I’m sure it would be delicious!
Hi, I made this over the weekend, and it was delicious! Just thr right amount of sweetness and loved the crumb top! I couldn’t resist trying a piece when it was still cooling off. It was warm and so moist. However, the next day it was not as moist, but nevertheless it was still good and the crumb top didn’t get soften! Do you think it was not as moist because the cake was sliced up into pieces? I am planning to make this for breakfast for the end of the school year celebration. I would prefer to make this a day in advance to be served the next morning as I am making two batches. How can I keep the cake moist? Do you think I can make the batter in advance and pour it into the pan and put it in the refrigerator overnight then just bake it in the morning? Would the baking time change since the batter and the pan is cold from the refrigerator? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
★★★★★
Hi, I made your recipe over the weekend and it was delicious! Just the right amount of sweetness. I ate a piece when it was still warm when it was still cooling down and it was so moist. However the next day it was not as moist, but still good. I was hoping to make this for a breakfast party soon. How can I keep the cake moist for the next day if I want to bake the cake a day in advance? Or can I make the batter in advance and put the pan in the refrigerator overnight then bake in the morning? Would the baking time be the same or longer since the batter and the pan is cold? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!
It sounds like you may have overbaked it a bit if it dried out! How are you storing it? It’s also possible it just dried out from not being store airtight!
This looks wonderful but I need to make this vegan. What can I substitute the buttermilk with and can I use flax eggs? I’ll substitute the butter with vegan butter.
Michele! You can make dairy free buttermilk using a non-dairy milk and lemon juice! I’ve never tried this cake with flax eggs but I think it would work!