Classic Blueberry Buckle Cake (Print Version)

Tender coffee cake featuring juicy blueberries and a buttery streusel topping. Perfect for any time of day.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk
06 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 2 cups fresh blueberries

→ Streusel Topping

10 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
14 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Using a mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
04 - Alternately add the dry flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Stir gently until just combined.
05 - Carefully fold fresh blueberries into the batter without breaking them.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly.
07 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut cold butter into the mixture with a pastry blender or fork until coarse crumbs form.
08 - Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the cake batter in the pan.
09 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the streusel is golden brown.
10 - Allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The blueberries stay plump and juicy instead of turning to mush, creating little pockets of tartness throughout.
  • That cinnamon-brown sugar crumble is dangerously addictive and takes minimal effort to make.
  • It's forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to bring to a gathering without apologies.
02 -
  • Do not thaw frozen blueberries—they'll bleed their color into the batter and make the cake look purple, which looks dramatic but means they've released their juices too early and won't stay plump while baking.
  • Measure your flour by weight if at all possible, or spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off; packed flour can throw off the ratio and make the cake dense.
  • Don't skip the cooling time in the pan; cutting into it too soon will cause it to fall apart, no matter how perfect the bake was.
03 -
  • If you only have salted butter, use it and reduce the salt in the recipe slightly; the buckle will still be delicious, but seasoning is easier to control with unsalted.
  • The moment you smell it baking and see the topping turn golden is the moment you know it's done; a toothpick is just insurance, but your nose is usually right.
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