Blueberry Streusel Cake

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Blueberry Streusel Cake, sometimes known as Blueberry Buckle, is a delightful treat that perfectly combines the sweetness of blueberries with a buttery, vanilla sponge and a crispy streusel topping. The name ‘buckle’ comes from the way the cake’s surface appears slightly uneven or ‘buckled’ due to the movement of the fruit during baking. The streusel topping not only covers the buckled top, it adds flavour and provides a delightful texture contrast to this soft and fluffy cake, loaded with fruit.

Can a streusel cake refer to both a buckle and an American coffee cake?

Yes it can! ‘Streusel cakes’ can indeed refer to both buckles and American coffee cakes. Buckles are a specific type of streusel cake that typically contain fruit, which in turn gives them the ‘buckled’ appearance. Despite their name, American coffee cakes are not necessarily flavoured with coffee. They are generally enjoyed alongside coffee or as a breakfast or brunch treat. Coffee cakes come in various flavours, and while some may include fruit, it’s not a requirement. Like buckles, they are finished with a streusel topping.

In summary, both buckles and American coffee cakes are considered streusel cakes, due to their shared use of a streusel topping. Equally, a buckle is always a coffee cake, but a coffee cake is not always a buckle. For the avoidance of doubt, I shall refer to them all as ‘streusel cakes’!

How do I serve this cake?

The choice is yours. It is simply delightful with a cup of tea or coffee, it is delicious with some natural yoghurt for breakfast or brunch, and it works wonderfully well as dessert, with some ice cream or fresh cream. Your choice!

How to make Blueberry Streusel Cake (or Blueberry Buckle)

Where is this recipe from?

This recipe is almost identical to the recipe I use for drizzle cakes. The main difference is that I have replaced the cornflour with plain/all-purpose flour and omitted the bicarbonate/baking soda. The result of these changes is that the sponge is ever so slightly denser than a classic sponge cake and this, in turn, helps ensure that the fruit does not all sink to the bottom of the cake.

Collect all your ingredients together:

For the crumb –

• unsalted butter
• plain/all-purpose flour
• demerara sugar
• fine salt

For the blueberries –

• fresh blueberries
• plain/all-purpose flour

For the cake batter –

• unsalted butter, at room temperature
• caster sugar
• eggs
• plain/all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• vanilla extract
• fine salt
• sour cream or natural yoghurt

How to make this fabulous and simple cake:

1. First, make the crumb topping: melt the butter in a small saucepan and then add the flour, sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside to cool.
2. Prepare the blueberries: halve or quarter the blueberries, depending on size. Place 150g chopped blueberries into a small bowl. In another bowl, mix the remaining 200g with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside
3. Now make the sponge cake: it is important that the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to beat. If it is a little hard, beat it with a whisk before adding the other ingredients. If it is already quite soft, you do not need to do this.
4. Measure all the remaining cake ingredients into the mixing bowl with the butter. I place my mixing bowl on top of the scales and weigh everything in directly.
5. Use an electric whisk to beat until combined. This should take less than a minute. Be careful not to over-mix at this stage.
6. Fold the 200g of floured blueberries into the cake batter and tip into the lined baking tin. Level the surface and scatter over the remaining 150g un-floured blueberries. Press them down lightly into the cake batter.
7. Add the crumb topping: use your fingers to break the crumb topping into small pieces and scatter over the top of the buckle.
8. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 55 – 60 minutes until cooked. The crumb and all the fruit make it difficult to tell when the cake is cooked. However, the top should be lightly browned, slightly domed and:
   • the centre feels springy when lightly touched with your finger.
   • a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean of cake batter, although there may be some fruit on it.
   • the cake is beginning to come away from the sides of the tin.
9. Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Remove from the tin and transfer to a cooling rack.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious served either as is or with crème fraiche, ice cream or cream. Also wonderful with yoghurt for breakfast or brunch.

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.