This award-winning coffee cake recipe is studded with sweet, juicy blueberries and topped with a crumbly streusel and lemon glaze for a sweet breakfast or dessert.
You could say I never got my thrill on blueberry hill. Unless it was baked in a decadent blueberry muffin or my favorite blueberry quick bread.
I’m okay with admitting that fresh blueberries have never been a favorite of mine. They were always the loose marbles of the fruit salad that I would pick around in favor of fresh strawberries, chunks of cantaloupe and definitely give me all of the pineapple.
Times have changed.
The nutritional values that blueberries possess were drilled into my head back when my job was designing health food magazines. Every issue had an article or blurb about their merits as a driving force in lowering blood cancer, fighting off the elements due to their antioxidant powers and strengthening bones to keep osteoporosis at bay.
Now, I can call myself a lover of the fresh, sweet, juicy blueberry. But I’ll forever be a fan of a good dessert (or breakfast?) treat with blueberries baked right in.
I was recently sent a copy of Annie Falk’s Hamptons Entertaining: Creating Occasions to Remember cookbook. The cookbook, co-authored by celebrity chef Eric Ripert, centers around themed parties like Dinner on the Dunes and A Soltice Soiree, sharing menus and recipes from some of the Hampton’s elite residents and their guests. Each page makes me want to move to the seaside and live the life, planning ladies lunches by the pool and evening get togethers at the dock. If only I had a trust fund to make it happen, you’d all be invited.
Until then, I’m living vicariously in my own kitchen while leafing through the pages as if it’s an issue of US magazine, to see the behind-the-scenes-ivy-covered-walled-estates and dreaming of what to make next.
While there are plenty of recipes in the cookbook that one would think more typically represent the Hamptons lifestyle (oh my, how chic!) like Cucumber Cups with Crab Meat and Green Gazpacho Soup with Homemade Croutons, I was looking for a seasonal recipe to make now, and a humble Blueberry Buckle caught my eye.
About the Recipe
The headnotes to this recipe state that it was created by Kathleen King of Southhampton’s Tates Bake Shop for the Peconic Land Trust fundraiser, an organization in sync with the non-profit The Peconic Baykeeper that author Annie Falk is donating her author proceeds for Hamptons Entertaining to. The recipe won first place for the best blueberry dessert at a competition in the state of Maine, so I was hedging my bets it would be good.
It is. More than good. It is DIVINE!
One obvious reason: it is PACKED with blueberries. 2 1/2 cups worth. Because my farmers market has yet to start (living in the mountains makes for a short growing window) I buy my blueberries at Costco because they are extra big, extra juicy and powered the packed blueberry effect.
I followed the recipe without many changes but did make a few adjustments. I love a thick, tall cake so I baked my cake in an 8 X 8 inch pan rather than her suggested 9 X 9. I didn’t have to alter the baking time but as because all ovens bake differently, you’ll want to take note to test for doneness at 45-50 minutes for either pan.
Instead of dark brown sugar I opted for light and used non-fat milk rather than whole. I didn’t notice a difference at all.
My biggest change to the original recipe is it called for a sour cream drizzle consisting of 1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons honey and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. I imagine this was intended to serve right away as a plated dessert. Because I wasn’t serving this buckle warm and wanted a more portable bite, I needed a drizzle that would harden a bit as it dried. To do so, I made a powdered sugar, lemon juice glaze with just a bit of vanilla greek yogurt mixed in and drizzled away. I love lemon and blueberries together. So fresh.
And with that, a seasonal, fresh breakfast—or dessert—is served.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.
Blueberry Buckle Recipe with Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
- For the cake
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-pupose flour
- 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- For the topping
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon grond cinnamon
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces at room temperature
- For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon add more if needed
- 2 tablespoons honey or vanilla flavored greek yogurt optional
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan.
-
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, milk, baking powder, and salt. Use a hand mixer to mix well. Mix in half of the flour, then incorporate the remaining half. Fold in the blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set it aside.
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Make the topping. Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter in a medium-sized bowl. Mix with a pastry cutter or your fingers until combined and crumbly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake batter. Bake the buckle for 45-50 minute, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
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Make the lemon glaze. While the cake is baking, whisk the powdered sugar with the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Whisk in the greek yogurt if using, or add more lemon juice to desired consistency.
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Cut the buckle into squares and drizzle with the lemon glaze.
Eat Seasonal in June
Each month, Becky of The Vintage Mixer challenges a group of bloggers to create their own seasonal recipes. Are you a blogger who would like to be part of the crew? Let us know, we’d love to have you share your favorite #eatseasonal recipes with us!
Blueberry Mint Gin Cocktail by Vintage Mixer
Bourbon-Cherry and Almond Dutch Baby by Floating Kitchen
Breakfast Strawberry Shortcakes by Completely Delicious
Strawberry and Mango Kale Salad by Project Domestication
Spinach Salad with Grilled Strawberries, Asparagus & Walnuts by Simple Bites
Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles by The Lemon Bowl
Rhubarb Crumb Bars by Bless This Mess
Chocolate Cherry Cake with Chocolate Oat Streusel by Climbing Grier Mountain
Mini Lavender Pavlovas with Summer Berries by Cafe Johnsonia
Super Summer Detox Salad by Well Plated
Blueberry, Feta and Honey-Caramelized Onion Naan Pizza by Kitchen Confidante
Cumin Orange Shrimp-Stuffed Cucumber Boats by Cookin’ Canuck
What’s your favorite seasonal eats for June? I’d love to know! Tag your favorites on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #eastseasonal and leave a comment below!
Thanks for stopping by and head to the farmers market and make something good.
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[email protected] says
June 8, 2015 at 4:49 amThis sounds fab! I totally want a huge piece for breakfast!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
June 8, 2015 at 5:11 amI haven’t made a buckle in ages and I just love the heck out of them! This recipe sounds great!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
June 8, 2015 at 5:44 amOh man does this look good. I am a huge lover of fresh blueberries. So much so that it’s hard to for me to bake with them because I’ve usually eaten them all during the drive home from the grocery store. I’m going to have to stash a few away to make this buckle! XO
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
June 8, 2015 at 6:17 amYou picked around the blueberries? They’re the best part of fruit salads ;) I love these crumb bars. I’m such a sucker for new cookbooks, I think I’m in dangerous need of a new shelf to hold all of them lol. My favorite thing to make in the summers is definitely fresh fruit desserts – I make this one citrus torte and then pile it high with fresh fruit and a honey glaze, it’s super yummy, but crumb bars, crisps and cobblers come in a close second :)
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says
June 8, 2015 at 6:23 amI can’t even control myself around blueberry buckle let alone one with a lemon glaze! And I agree…more blueberries the better!
And I just emailed about joined the #eatseasonal crew! It sounds right up my alley!
nagłośnienie_domowe says
June 8, 2015 at 7:30 amI could die for cake like this! This is awesome.
Sarah | Broma Bakery says
June 8, 2015 at 7:38 amBuckles are one of my favorite things, and yet I’ve never made one myself. But just looking at those plump blueberries and mouthwatering streusel I’m thinking that needs to change STAT!
Cookin Canuck says
June 8, 2015 at 8:07 amI could eat blueberries by the handful and am so happy that they’re starting to pop up in the markets. This buckle looks like the perfect summertime dessert!
Cecile @ My Yellow Farmhouse says
June 8, 2015 at 8:26 amI, too, am not a huge fan of fresh blueberries – unless they’re wild ’cause to me they’re the sweetest. What a great variation of good old Blueberry Buckle – I love the idea of the lemon glaze and lots and lots of blueberries!! ; o )
[email protected] I Wash You Dry says
June 8, 2015 at 11:28 amThis recipe is awesome. I already love blueberries, and I love that there are so many! A lot of recipes don’t ever have that much. I might try a little of both glazes, they both sound good. Hm. Decisions decisions.
Becky says
June 8, 2015 at 1:05 pmI’m a big fan of anything with buckle in the title! I made a peach buckle last year that I could easily eat the whole pan of. Any excuse to have cake for breakfast ;) And that cookbook sounds so fun!!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
June 8, 2015 at 3:31 pmI’m a blueberry fiend so this buckle has my name all over it. Must make immediately!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
June 8, 2015 at 8:03 pmDefinitely thinking this could be dessert one night, breakfast the next. Aren’t those the best desserts? :-)
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
June 8, 2015 at 8:17 pmMy jaw is seriously on the floor looking at this beautiful berry-filled buckle. I want this for breakfast, lunch, dinner AND dessert!
Annalise @ Completely Delicious says
June 8, 2015 at 9:29 pmI think I’m going to be dreaming about this buckle for weeks. Wow!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
June 9, 2015 at 12:18 amOh… I know…. blueberry season isn’t quite here yet either.. I’ve another month to go yet, but that hasn’t stopped me from buying em’ up from California farmers! I think I’ve been dreaming about this buckle lately! The lemon glaze was a fabulous change.. I agree! Thank you for this, Heidi and all the other delicious recipes you’ve included here! So much to choose from! :D
Melissa @ Bless this Mess says
June 9, 2015 at 12:42 pmThat glaze just took this recipe over the top!!! It looks perfect Heidi! I’m so impressed with your Buckle.
kelley says
June 9, 2015 at 8:59 pmI’ll take blueberries any which way. I love to munch on a handful! This is gorgeous!! xo
Liren Baker says
June 10, 2015 at 9:31 amSo I admit, I adore blueberries! And I adore buckles – totally my speed when it comes to sweets. This buckle is definitely a must try, most especially with that glaze!
Becky @ Project Domestication says
June 12, 2015 at 5:31 pmI had a handful of blueberries in my hand yesterday. But now I want to stuff my face in that buckle. YUM! And that book makes me think I should start watching “Revenge” again. Gotta love the Hamptons! :)
Cyndy says
June 13, 2015 at 5:57 pmO M G, this looks wonderful and I have a whole lot of blueberries to work with. I love that you did a glaze instead of a sauce on top. Definitely Delicious. I’ll be making this soon!
alison says
June 15, 2015 at 4:50 pmI made this recipe very soon after seeing it in my inbox. Wow! REALLY REALLY YUMMY. My son had a friend sleep over so I made it the night before so it could go in the oven as soon as we got up [I looked forwarding to the wonderful smells as it baked.] Both boys came back for 2nds. Will put this in my permanent recipe collection! 2 thumbs up!!!
heidi says
June 16, 2015 at 4:06 pmHi Alison, so glad you liked it and the kids too. Hope it becomes a family fave.
Maria Donovan says
July 4, 2016 at 7:23 amHi I am gonna make this today do you have to add the honey or yogurt to make the glaze?
Mercedes says
June 15, 2015 at 9:35 pmMade this yesterday and we all loved it! Thanks.
Joanne Morton says
June 18, 2015 at 2:31 pmIs there any reason frozen blueberries wouldn’t work for this recipe? I still have some in the freezer that I picked last summer and would like to use them up.
Anna says
June 20, 2015 at 7:49 amI just made this for breakfast and it is AMAZING! So moist and delicious. I didn’t have whole milk so I used buttermilk instead. I also baked it in an 8×8 pan. Mine needed to cook for about 55-60 minutes. My husband isn’t a huge fan of blueberries but the topping completely won him over. This is definitely and keeper! Thank you for sharing!
kay campbell says
August 3, 2015 at 6:15 ami made this yesterday – absolutely delicious – moist and VERY ‘blueberry-y’
had to use evaporated milk but don’t think it hurt a thing!
Josiane Gomes says
August 30, 2015 at 10:22 pmHello!
I was really glad to see this recipe because when I saw the picture I realized it is very similar to one we have here in Brazil, which is called “cuque de uva” or “cuca de uva”, depending on the region. Instead of using blueberries, we use ives grapes, they also make the cake taste really delicious! We just don’t make the glaze, but the rest is almost the same! And now I am curious to try it with blueberries!
Thank you!
VEOGLA MITCHINER says
November 4, 2015 at 12:00 pmare you sure your suppose to bake the topping with the cake my topping just melts doesnt look anything like the picture and i follow the recipe to the T
Ana says
February 3, 2016 at 9:21 pmMade this today and it immediately got rave reviews from my husband! I love all of the blueberries and the crumble is some of the best I’ve made. The lemon glaze is just icing on the cake (no pun intended). Thanks for the recipe!
vivian says
February 28, 2016 at 6:17 pmI made this tonight for our Sunday dinner dessert and it was absolutely delicious. I made it lactose free by substituting Earth Balance for the butter and almond milk for the milk and it turned out wonderfully. The batter was very thick, which made it impossible to pour into the baking pan, but I scooped it out of the bowl and mashed it into the pan fairly evenly, and it all came out great in the end. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
heidi says
March 1, 2016 at 9:51 pmThat’s great news Vivian! I’m so glad you made it your own!
Teresa says
March 27, 2016 at 4:52 pmI made the buckle tonight and I used the 8×8 pan and cooked it for 50 minutes. The center was not quite done so would recommend using a little bit larger pan or cook it 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. It was absolutely delicious. A recipe for my collection.
Vivian says
May 17, 2016 at 8:17 pmThis recipe is delicious. I baked it in a glass pan and baked it for 60 minutes. The lemon complements the cake perfectly.
heidi says
May 19, 2016 at 10:07 pmI’m so glad you enjoyed it Vivian!
Sandy says
June 3, 2016 at 8:38 pmThis looks amazing! How would you adjust it for elevation in Denver?
Amber says
July 1, 2016 at 11:25 pmCould you prepare this the night before and then put it in the oven the next morning?
Anoushka says
July 20, 2016 at 8:37 amCan this be frozen or would it get soggy?
Anoushka says
July 20, 2016 at 8:38 amcan this be frozen or would it go soggy?
heidi says
July 22, 2016 at 10:31 amI think it would be fine for the freezer.
Paiton says
August 3, 2016 at 11:55 pmAbsolutely delicious! One of my favorite desserts that I’ve ever baked! Yummmm!!!
Kristina C. says
August 5, 2016 at 8:28 pmHeidi – I recently found your site and I must tell you that I am ENAMORED!
I want to try every darn recipe!
Thanks so much and so glad I found you!
Thomas Coleman says
September 4, 2016 at 8:27 amI had a lot of blueberries in my fridge and needed to use them up. I made this as an afternoon snack and it turned out delicious!!
heidi says
September 18, 2016 at 8:18 amSo glad you enjoyed Thomas.
Alma Sample says
September 4, 2016 at 8:34 amThis was very good and brought back memories. Nice crumb, not too sweet, light and moist, this was a lovely and easy dessert. It would be great with other fruit, such as peaches or apples :)
heidi says
September 18, 2016 at 8:19 amOh Alma! I hadn’t even thought of using peaches!! Great idea.
Trisha says
May 19, 2017 at 8:25 amWould it be safe to double the recipe for a 9×13 pan or will it overflow? Do you have 9×13 measurements? Thank you!
heidi says
May 22, 2017 at 8:25 pmHi Trisha, I’m pretty sure it would overflow after it bakes, so you could use two pans if needed.
Kristel says
July 24, 2018 at 4:17 pmHoly WOW! I made this for Utah’s Pie and Beer Day Celebration today July 24th! Delicious! Perfectly moist. The lemon drizzle was so worth skipping breakfast, oh my! Thank you so much for posting. I live at 7K ft, and it’s perfect. I baked for 50 minutes in a springform round pan. Perfect.
P.S. I have a great photo if you’d like me to send it?
Amb says
July 25, 2018 at 5:51 pmThank you so much for this recipe. I’ve never made a coffee cake before and just came out so wonderful and perfect! I followed everything to the letter, the only thing I would change is adding the topping in at the last 20 or 30 minutes as it came out too hard in areas. I’d like to also salute you on the lemon icing topping, it was so amazing and went perfectly. I opted for honey rather than yogurt.
Rahul says
December 12, 2018 at 4:51 amThis look amazing… I will surely make it on this christmas.
Janice Gilreath says
May 9, 2019 at 9:54 amI made it yesterday, it was delish! I did mess up the drizzle glaze, but it tastes great, just not as pretty. *I misunderstood the “honey or vanilla yogurt”. And I used honey rather than yogurt.