Blueberry Buckle with Lemon Syrup

Blueberry Buckle is a deliciously moist cake, packed with fresh blueberries and topped with a buttery streusel topping. Add a sweet-tart lemon syrup for a burst of lemony flavor that compliments this classic American dessert and you’ve got a crowd-pleaser!

Home Baked Buckle has been in the United States for centuries, which leads many to believe it was developed by the early colonists. You’ll still find Buckle is extremely popular in New England, where it is often made with blueberries, which is what I chose for delicious homemade buckle!

While blueberry buckle is the classic version, the dessert can also be made with peaches, nectarines, raspberries, and any other fresh fruit available. You can even mix several types of fruit in your buckle.

The base of the buckle consists of a rich cake batter, which is sprinkled with fresh fruit. Some cooks prefer to split their batter, layering half in the bottom of the pan and mixing the other half with the fruit before pouring it in. 

The fruit batter is topped with a streusel mixture. During the baking process, the cake batter rises up around the fruit, encasing the fruit in batter and causing the streusel to buckle, creating a distinctive crinkly appearance.

What Ingredients do I need to make a Blueberry Buckle?

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Blueberry Buckle. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

How do I make a Streusel Topping?

• Place the very cold butter, sugar, flour and oats into a mixing bowl.
• Using your hands, mix until all the butter has been blended in making peas size crumbs. Set in Refrigerator until needed

How do I make Blueberry Buckle?

• Add the butter, sugar, and lemons zest to the bowl of your mixer.
• Cream the ingredients together until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating.
• Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl
• Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
• Add half the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture

• Mix just enough to incorporate the flour.
• Add the Greek yogurt to the bowl.
• Mix the yogurt in just enough to incorporate.
• Add the remaining flour mixture, mixing just enough so it’s barely incorporated (there will still be dry bits of unincorporated flour)
• Add the blueberries to the batter.
• Using a flexible spatula, fold the blueberries into the mixture. Be careful not to overmix.

• Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
• Add the topping over the batter and bake for 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees. Or until the buckle is lightly browned on top and feels just set in the center. It should spring back lightly when you touch the center.
• When the buckle is almost finished baking, make the syrup by heating the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, cooking it until it thickens. It should take about 5 minutes. Don’t allow the syrup to brown.

Remove the buckle from the oven and pour the warm lemon syrup over it, letting it soak in.

Serve the Blueberry Buckle warm from the oven and if you’re feeling decadent try a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream with it.

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4.95 from 54 votes

Blueberry Buckle with a Lemon Syrup

Fresh blueberries make my Blueberry Buckle irresistibly delicious. Add Lemon Syrup and it's the perfect dessert, breakfast or snack cake.  Wouldn't you're friends and family love a slice of this deliciousness?

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9

Calories: 442kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Topping

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed and chilled
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup oats

Batter

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ½ cup Greek yogurt full-fat at room temperature
• 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen

Lemon Syrup

• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ cup lemon juice or lime juice

US Customary – Metric

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 350°
• Butter a 9-inch (23cm) square cake pan.

Topping

• Mix very cold butter, sugar, flour and oats with your hands until all is well mixed with peas size crumbs. Set in Refrigerator until needed

Batter

• Cream butter, sugar and lemon zest together until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. (by hand with a wooden spoon or using an electric mixer)
• Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl
• Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium-sized bowl.
• Add half the flour mixture to the creamed, mixing just enough to incorporate
• Add Greek yogurt, mixing in just enough to incorporate
• Add the remaining flour mixture, mixing just enough so it’s barely incorporated (there will still be dry bits of unincorporated flour)
• Using a flexible spatula, fold the blueberries into the mixture. Being careful not to overmix.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
• Add the topping over the batter and bake for 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees. Or until the buckle is lightly browned on top and feels just set in the center. It should spring back lightly when you touch the center.
• When the buckle is almost finished baking, make the syrup by heating the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, cooking it until it thickens. It should take about 5 minutes. Don't allow the syrup to brown.
• Remove the buckle from the oven and pour the warm lemon syrup over it, letting it soak in.
• Serve buckle slightly warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or home made whipped cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 498IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg

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