Blueberry Buckle! Recipe

I made a Blueberry Breakfast Cake with a clever surprise hidden in the crumb that I can’t wait to share.

I never expected a morning cake to stop me mid sip of my drink but this Blueberry Breakfast Cake did. It’s loaded with bright blueberries that burst in your mouth and keep you coming back, like the cake is hiding a little secret.

I love when a whisper of vanilla extract shows up, not too sweet, just there to make things more interesting. The top crinkles and the fruit sinks in so the texture shifts from tender to slightly chewy, and for some reason that little surprise makes me grin.

I cant promise restraint, you might find yourself sneaking an extra slice.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour Gives structure mainly carbs and some protein not much fiber keeps cake tender
• Granulated sugar Pure sweetness all carbs adds brown crust and bright flavor not very healthy
• Unsalted butter Rich fat gives moist crumb and flavor adds calories but great mouthfeel
• Eggs Protein helps bind and leaven adds richness yolks bring color and moisture
• Milk or buttermilk Liquid for tenderness buttermilk gives a tang and reacts with baking powder
• Blueberries Fresh or frozen antioxidant rich add juicy sweetness and slight tart contrast
• Streusel Crunchy topping brown sugar bring caramel notes cinnamon warms lots of butter

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (streusel)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (streusel)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (streusel)
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (streusel)
• Coarse sugar for sprinkling, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9 inch round or square pan with parchment, leave a little overhang so you can lift the cake out later.

2. Make the streusel: in a bowl stir 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until you have coarse crumbs, then chill while you make the batter.

3. In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until light and kinda fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon lemon zest if using.

4. Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl.

5. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry mix. Mix just until combined, dont overmix or the cake gets tough.

6. Toss 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries with a tablespoon of flour (this helps prevent sinking), then gently fold them into the batter, careful not to crush them.

7. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, smooth the top. Sprinkle the chilled streusel over the batter, pressing a few pieces in so they dont all fall off, and sprinkle coarse sugar on top if you want extra crunch.

8. Bake at 350°F for about 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If the top browns too fast tent loosely with foil.

9. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and cool another 20 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temp, it keeps well for a couple days.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven preheated to 350°F (175°C)
2. 9 inch round or square baking pan plus parchment paper with a little overhang
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
4. Electric hand mixer or a whisk and a sturdy wooden spoon, youll use whichever you have
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Pastry cutter or two forks for cutting cold butter into the streusel, dont use warm hands
7. Rubber spatula for folding and smoothing and a metal spoon for spreading
8. Cooling rack and toothpicks to test doneness

FAQ

Blueberry Buckle! Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• If you dont have all purpose flour, use a gluten free 1 to 1 baking blend in the same amount, or swap in whole wheat pastry flour cup for cup, expect a slightly denser crumb.
• If youre out of granulated sugar, use coconut sugar or packed brown sugar cup for cup, coconut sugar will be a bit nuttier, brown sugar adds moisture.
• No buttermilk use 3/4 cup milk mixed with 3/4 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes until slightly thickened then use as called for.
• No unsalted butter In the batter you can use an equal amount of neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil, for the streusel use cold solid coconut oil cut into the flour to get crumbly bits.

Pro Tips

1) Use room temp butter and eggs — they cream way better, so take them out 30 to 60 minutes ahead. Warmer ingredients mean you can beat less and avoid a tough cake, plus you get a lighter crumb.

2) Keep the streusel cold while you make the batter. Cold butter in the crumbs = crunchy, pebbly topping; if it warms up it just melts into the cake and you lose that texture.

3) If you use frozen berries dont thaw them, toss them very lightly in a little flour right before folding, and fold super gently. That cuts down on sinking and the batter turning purple, but overworking the batter will make the berries burst.

4) Pay attention while baking — if the top looks too brown, loosely tent with foil for the last part of the bake, and test doneness with a toothpick near the center, a few moist crumbs is perfect. Let it rest in the pan for a bit before lifting out so it sets and slices neater.