Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson's Lemon Blueberry Buckle

Are you sitting down, dear ones? Do you have something to steady yourselves with?

Alright. Now take this in:

Tender buttermilk cake.
Fresh blueberries.
Streusel (pssst: in German, its language of origin, it's pronounced "stroysel", not "stroosel").
And then (oh, then!): Fresh lemon syrup.

Boom!

Yes, I have in fact just listed the four compelling reasons why this lemon blueberry buckle is the very next thing you must bake, even if you live in a city currently suffering through a heat wave. (Strip down to your skivvies, if you must. This is important.)

I know, I know: that list can, to some ears, sound a little...ordinary? Pedestrian? Yeah, yeah, blueberries, streusel, lemons, yadda yadda yadda? But listen, seriously, this thing is so good, so darn delicious, that I cannot let you just walk past. Stop! Stop and look at my buckle!

A buckle, at least according to what resulted in this recipe, is a tender, buttermilk-enriched cake flavored with lemon zest and studded with fresh blueberries, then topped with more fresh blueberries and a lemon-zest besprinkled streusel that is strewn across the cake half-frozen. And then, in a stroke of genius, after the cake is pulled from the oven, it gets a final shot of extra lemon flavor from a hot lemon syrup spooned across the top.

The best part is that you have to wait until the cake cools completely to eat it, which may seem like torture, but ends up being fantastic. Because: the cake mellows out; the blueberries cool into squidgy little blue pockets of flavor; the streusel settles into itself, crunchy in pockets and tender in others; and the syrup makes everything fairly glow with sweet, tart, citrusy goodness.

Have I convinced you yet? That you must try this? Okay, listen to this: I made the buckle to bring to the office to welcome a colleague back from her maternity leave, and would you believe I actually considered hiding the leftovers from her when she left at the end of the day, in the hopes that I'd get to take them home? Swear to God. A breast-feeding mother. That's how good this is.

(Uh, I made her take home the leftovers. I said I considered it, not that I actually did it. Sheesh.)

(I did have two pieces, though.)

(Should have kept a third.)

(Are you making this yet?)

Lemon Blueberry Buckle
Serves 8

Crumb topping
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, cubed, at room temperature

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the butter, using a fork or your fingers to cut in the butter until it is reduced to the size of peas. Loosely cover the bowl, and place it in the freezer while you mix the cake batter.

Cake and assembly
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
Zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, divided
Crumb topping, chilled
Juice of 2 lemons (about 6 tablespoons)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, three-fourths cup sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

4. Stir the flour mixture into the bowl, a third at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, until both the flour mixture and buttermilk are evenly incorporated into the batter. Gently fold 1 cup of the blueberries into the batter.

5. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and distribute the remaining blueberries evenly over the top of the batter. Remove the crumb topping from the freezer and sprinkle it over the berries.

6. Bake the cake until it is lightly golden and firm on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking.

7. While the cake is baking, make a lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the remaining one-third cup sugar with the lemon juice and whisk until blended. Heat the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens to a syrupy consistency, 6 to 8 minutes. (The glaze will bubble while cooking and may need to be removed from the heat to check that it is the proper consistency.) Remove from heat and set aside in a warm place.

8. Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle the warm glaze over. Cool to room temperature. The cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, covered in plastic wrap.

Comments

[Jane]

Luisa - thanks for the reply, goodness knows how you have the time! I used a volume to clarify the tablespoon measurement since that was the only way to be sure we were talking about the same size measure, since 1T butter is a different weight to 1T flour or 1T water (as you know). I did use on online calculator to convert to a metric weight so I think it was probably ok. I definitely wouldn't call it too simple - I love light, fruity cakes. And thanks for explaining the butter packages you have there. Ours come in wax paper too, but in 500g packs (we're not pear-shaped down here for nothing ;-)) and with 50g marks on them, but I wouldn't trust the markings so I always weigh my butter.

Andrew - thanks for the height tip. I definitely think I needed to find a smaller pan. I thought the sweetness was just right, I just found the topping slightly salty. But I don't get that people would eat this for breakfast! To me, it's a cake and breakfast is a bowl of muesli or a piece of toast with marmite. This is mid-morning with a cup of tea, or evening dessert with a spoonful of yoghurt.

I'll make it again with a smaller pan and I think I'll omit the salt from the streusel and see what happens. Or use unsalted butter.

Lovely talking to you all instead of just reading. :-)

[Jen]

This was delicious! I made a half recipe and baked it in a loaf pan. It worked perfectly for the two of us. One question, did you use the smaller lemons or large ones? I only had a large one, and it turned out quite lemony (especially the syrup) but I love lemon, so it was perfect!

[Adrienne]

Yooooowza. This just came out of my oven, and the smell alone is totally worth the additional 10 degrees in the kitchen (oh, hello 94, it's so nice to see you... NOT). My blueberries are wild so they're quite tiny and I can't wait to see the veins of jammy goodness running through this cake... waiting for things to cool is the hardest thing ever.

[heather @ chik n pastry]

Hi Luisa! I dont know if I've commented on your blog or not, but I regularly read your posts. I find your blog and your style very down to earth and "real", which I don't find from many of the other "well known" blogs - although I read them too!

I made this last night while also making preserves and paella - thank goodness for the stand mixer! It is lovely with the burst of blueberries and the lemony goodness. Great find! I did use an 8" pan, and for one of the first times ever, cut the cake into 16ths instead of 8ths. Makes me feel less guilty , but it's still just as satisfying!

thanks loads and loads!

[deena]

Looks delicious (and thanks for the pronunciation guide)! I'm sorry that your camera's on the fritz, but I'm loving the dreamy rainyday quality of your polaroids.

[theresa]

Tried it today. My husband can't stop eating it. Thanks!

[Diana]

I actually really like your iPod photos...I'm getting used to them and they look kind of cool!

[Tracy A.]

Damn you, Luisa! This is straight-up sinful. I cannot control myself around it. My first serving was in a nice bowl, all proper. Soon thereafter I was at the baking dish with a fork. Got up this morning and made a beeline (tried to muffle the foil sound so my husband wouldn't know I was at it again). I'm not even a cake person. Completely embarrassed at my lack of control. Taking the leftovers to work. I'll probably be first in line.

[Luisa]

Jen - my grocery store had the most enormous organic lemons I'd ever seen, they literally almost looked the size of citrons. HUGE. So I bought one of those and just used one instead of the two in the recipe. Turned out beautifully lemony.

Heather - well, thank you! And glad you liked this.

Tracy - Hee, love it!

[Lynn Holstein]

My daughter, Alizah, once made and sold a very similar recipe in Brookline, MA one summer. Our recipe came from Anne Smith, an old friend from Newburyport and the mother of Alizah's dear friend Michelle. Let's hear it for Blueberry Buckle. And I hope, dear Luisa, that you are nicely settled in your new place. I long to see you sometime soon. Lynn

[theresa]

OK, I already posted that I love this but I....CAN'T....STOP.....EATING. Really, better the second day.

[Jen]

Oh, I didn't mention that this is the most ridiculous dessert. I was also at the pan sneaking forkfuls, and then having to take another bite to even things out...

[BigGirlPhoebz]

this looks like a beautiful delicious creation. I'm not usually a fan of fruity desserts, but was recently swayed by this tart that made good use of blueberry and peaches.

http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2009/08/baking-for-others-fruit-apathy.html

would peaches work in the recipe? I've become a little bit addicted to the combination. But I trust your expertise when it some to these matters :)

thanks again!

[Erin]

I made this last night and oh. my. god. it was almost a religious experience.

[Anne]

Aaaaaand sold! Sold sold sold. I will certainly bake this next, no passing go and collecting $200. If I could preheat my oven remotely, I would do it right now.

[Humming Along]

I, too, took this little number to work, and many people raved about it. I was looking at 6 lemons in my refrigerator and this recipe came to the rescue.

[Anna]

oh, i'm looking. now i just need to get my husband to whip one of these up for me because I'm too beat to get in the kitchen. Staring at your buckle is rather calming though!

[Rose]

This was totally delicious! Moist, lemon-y and sweet. Everyone raved - thanks!

[molly]

The cake looks great and I'm terribly excited about it, but I'm most thankful for the proper pronunciation of streusel! Danke!

[Dagmar]

This is a lovely recipe. Commenters are correct about the low sweetness level, but I cook for a German so it's a hit here. I made it as written last week for an unfancy party then last night did a version with backyard blackberries and almonds -- extract and slivered almonds in the batter, sliced almonds added to the streusel, and the glaze made with extract, water, and palm sugar. Again, delicious. Thanks, Luisa, for the addition to my improvisatory repertoire.

[halfstack]

Made this in advance of a visit by my mom and brother. Both took away the recipe. Wonderful with a nice Earl Grey or dark roast late in the afternoon. Or at 2am when it calls you from the fridge, with a dollop of fresh whipped cream (even if you have to make the whipped cream yourself at 2am...). ^_^ It's definitely less sweet than typical North American desserts, even with the streusel, but the blueberry and lemon compliment each other in a way that would be overwhelmed with any more going on.

[roberte]

Luisa - After my mouth stopped watering (which took awile I have to admit) I finally found time to try out your wonderful buckle recipe. I didn't hurt that I found blueberries at the market for 77-cents a pint! Anyway, this recipe's a keeper! My wife and I both loved it. The cake was beautiful and the streusel was sweet and tart and crunchy and overall yummy. I admit I had to go to the Internet to get the precise definition of a buckle, but it was exactly appropriate for your recipe. Thanks for the delightful blog.

[Baguette]

i taste it and its was fantastic...thanks:-)

[julie]

sorry to jane in new zealand that we didn't have metric measurments for the book, i even had to fight for imperial measurements. I believe the book has been printed in the UK so they must have done up all the conversions for that publishing. Thanks everyone for the great comments and for the love of Buckles!
Julie Richardson co-author Rustic Fruit Desserts