Blueberry Buckle
intro
A tender New England-style coffee cake studded with juicy peak-summer blueberries, topped with crumbly cinnamon streusel, perfect for sharing at casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep pan and oven
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack positioned in the middle. Grease a 20cm (8-inch) square metal baking pan thoroughly with 5 grams (1 teaspoon) of softened unsalted butter, then line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs two opposite sides for easy removal after baking.
Make streusel topping
In a small mixing bowl, combine 60 grams (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour, 100 grams (1/2 cup packed) light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add 57 grams (4 tablespoons) of cold cubed unsalted butter, and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes while you prepare the cake batter.
Combine dry cake ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt for 30 seconds until evenly combined, with no visible clumps of baking powder remaining.
Mix wet batter base
In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to cream 57 grams (4 tablespoons) of softened unsalted butter and 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar for 2 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. Add the room-temperature large egg and beat on low speed for 30 seconds until fully incorporated, then pour in 120 ml (1/2 cup) room-temperature whole milk and mix on low for another 20 seconds until smooth.
Fold in blueberries
Pour the whisked dry ingredients into the wet batter, and use a silicone spatula to fold gently for 15-20 seconds just until no dry flour streaks remain—do not overmix. Add 255 grams (1.5 cups) of the dried fresh blueberries, folding 2-3 times to distribute them evenly through the thick batter, then scrape the entire mixture into the prepared baking pan, spreading it into a smooth, even layer. Scatter the remaining 85 grams (1/2 cup) of blueberries across the top of the batter.
Bake until golden
Remove the chilled streusel from the refrigerator and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the blueberry-topped batter, covering the surface completely. Place the pan on the middle oven rack and bake for 35-40 minutes at 190°C (375°F), until the streusel is deep golden brown, a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with 1-2 moist crumbs attached (not runny wet batter), and the edges of the cake pull slightly away from the pan sides. If the streusel browns too quickly before the cake is done, tent the top loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil after 25 minutes of baking to prevent burning.
Cool and serve
Transfer the baked buckle to a wire cooling rack and let it rest in the pan for 20 minutes before lifting it out using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into 8 equal square pieces, and serve warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.
Tips
2.Avoid overmixing the cake batter once dry ingredients are added; overmixing develops gluten in the flour and results in a tough, chewy texture instead of the signature tender, soft crumb.
3.Use ice-cold butter for the streusel topping, and chill the streusel before baking—soft or warm butter will melt too quickly in the oven, creating a flat, soggy topping instead of the classic crumbly texture.
Super easy to throw together after work! I didn’t have fresh blueberries so I used frozen, and it still turned out perfectly moist. The cinnamon in the crumble is exactly what I needed for a cozy weeknight treat. Total game changer for last minute desserts!
Made this with blueberries I picked from my own bush out back! It’s sweet but not cloying, the texture is soft and fluffy under that crunchy top. SO good, I already sent the recipe to my whole book club group chat.
Great for meal prep! I cut it into individual squares and stashed them in the fridge for quick breakfasts all week. Holds up really well, not soggy at all even after 4 days. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish the streusel was a little thicker, but that’s just my personal preference! Would 100% make again.
Swapped the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking blend and it worked flawlessly! Didn’t tell my roommates it was GF and none of them even noticed. Win.
So excited to make this for my book club tomorrow! Quick question: do I need to thaw frozen blueberries before folding them into the batter? I’m worried they’ll bleed all over and turn the whole cake purple 😅 The 50 minute cook time fits perfectly into my evening schedule, and all the photos look incredible, already know it’s gonna be a hit!
Took this to our church potluck yesterday and the whole pan was gone in 10 minutes. People were asking me for the recipe before they even finished their first bite!
My house stays pretty hot this time of year, should I store this on the counter or in the fridge? I don’t want the crumble to get soggy!
Made this with my 10 year old daughter today for our Sunday family dinner. She loved sprinkling the streusel topping all over, and it came out so tasty. My kids loved it so much they asked if we can make it again next weekend! Perfect easy recipe to make with kids!
This is the perfect pairing with my morning latte! Not too sweet, just the right amount of blueberry burst, and the crumble adds that perfect crunch. I added a tiny bit of lemon zest to the batter and it was chef’s kiss.
I don’t bake a lot, usually I’m manning the smoker, but my wife asked for a blueberry dessert for her birthday so I gave this a shot. Turned out perfect! She said it’s better than the one her grandma used to make. Win for me.
OMG I’ve been searching for a proper New England blueberry buckle recipe since I moved out west from Massachusetts! All the ones I’ve tried out here are too cakey or don’t have enough streusel. This one tastes exactly like the one my nana used to make when we’d go to Cape Cod in the summer. I’m crying it’s so perfect.
Made this for my dorm floor potluck and I swear people were coming back to my door for hours asking for seconds. I only had a tiny toaster oven so I had to bake it a little longer, but it still turned out insane. 10/10, even the kid down the hall who hates fruit ate two slices.
Made this before a day hike up in Rocky Mountain National Park last weekend, wrapped slices in foil to toss in our packs. It held up so well, was the perfect mid-hike sweet pick-me-up, no sogginess even after being jostled around for 4 miles. Will definitely be a regular trail snack from now on!
I’ve been making blueberry buckle for 60 years, and I have to say this recipe is spot on. The ratio of streusel to cake to blueberries is exactly right. I added a tiny pinch of nutmeg to the topping like I always do, and it came out just perfect. My grandkids devoured half the pan before dinner.