This classic blueberry coffee cake recipe is super moist, bursting with blueberries, and the lemon zest adds a light refreshing delicious flavour with each bite. A perfect afternoon treat!
When I first made this cake with my students many years ago, I was so impressed with the moist texture and the similarities to a coffee cake. When we made it for the teaching staff, it was a hit! It is super easy to make, only 15 minutes, and you have a dessert everyone will love! 🙂
I decided to add some lemon zest to the recipe, since lemon and blueberries are a lovely combination. Since this recipe resembles a coffee cake I added cinnamon to the streusel, so by combining blueberries, lemon and cinnamon it was perfect blend of flavours that are absolutely delicious!
This blueberry buckle recipe has been around for centuries and for good reason. It is a perfect way to use fresh blueberries to create such a moist and delicious dessert. This recipe can be cut into 9 large pieces to serve as a dessert or 16 small pieces to enjoy as a snack or treat.
WHY IS IT CALLED BUCKLE?
The reason it is called buckle because while the cake is baking, it will rise and the weight of the blueberries and the topping of the streusel will weigh it down causing the surface of the cake to buckle. As I mentioned, it’s a classic but an absolute delicious one! If you have never made this recipe before I highly recommend it!
HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE
Begin creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, the add egg, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. When combining the ingredients, alternate the dry with the liquid when adding it to the butter and sugar mixture. A baker’s rule is always begin and end with the dry ingredients. This recipe doesn’t require a lot of over beating.
Once the ingredients are all added, fold the blueberries in gently. Then evenly spread the batter into a 9 x 9 inch greased square pan or lined with parchment paper. (you can easily use a round cake for this recipe) Once you have the streusel mixture together, spread evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a toothpick or tester to see if baked through.
Once the cake is slightly cooled and you are able to carefully remove it from the baking pan, cut the pieces to the size you prefer. This cake is super moist and the streusel topping really gives it a sweet crunch.
Blueberry Buckle with Cinnamon Streusel
Equipment
- 9 x 9 inch baking pan (22 cm)
- stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup raw fine sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extra
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Streusel:
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- Slowly add dry ingredients alternating with milk, beating well after each addition. As a general rule, start and end with the flour mixture. Be careful not to over mix the batter, as it will make the cake dense.
- Fold in the blueberries and spread into the 9"x 9" square pan or a round cake pan, lined with parchment paper.
Streusel:
- In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the streusel. Then cut butter into flour mixture using a fork or panstry blender until it's crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
