Blueberry Buckle (Gluten Free)

This moist gluten free Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake recipe is an old fashioned dessert made with sour cream and a cinnamon streusel topping!

A Blueberry Buckle is a combination of a coffee cake and a blueberry muffin. Basically, two of the tastiest baked goods rolled into one.

Fresh berries are one of the best parts of summer. There is no end to the amount of tasty treats that can be whipped up using a batch of fresh blueberries. From pies to cobbler to pancakes, blueberries just make everything a little bit better.

One of my favorite ways to utilize blueberries during the summer months is to make this Blueberry Buckle. It's an old fashioned dessert that closely resembles a coffee cake.

It's made with sour cream, so the cake is super moist. Lemon zest is added for extra flavor, and the whole thing is finished with a cinnamon streusel topping.

It's perfect as an after-dinner dessert, or makes a great addition to a breakfast or brunch table. I love baked goods like this one that are not overly sweet, which allows for the flavor of the blueberries to shine through.

Jump to:

• Why Is It Called Blueberry Buckle?
• What Is The Difference Between A Buckle And A Coffee Cake?
• Ingredients For Blueberry Buckle
• Which Flour Is Best When Making A Buckle?
• How To Make A Blueberry Buckle
• Why Add Flour To The Blueberries?
• Can I Use Frozen Blueberries?
• Which Pan Is Best For Baking Coffee Cake?
• How To Make Streusel Topping
• How Long Should I Bake A Blueberry Buckle?
• What To Serve With Blueberry Buckle
• How To Store Coffee Cake
• Can I Freeze Blueberry Coffee Cake?
• Blueberry Buckle (Gluten Free)

Why Is It Called Blueberry Buckle?

Blueberry buckle is a dessert that tends to fly under the radar. It's not as well known as many of the more popular blueberry desserts. This is unfortunate, because it's absolutely delicious!

A buckle is a coffee cake made with fruit that gets its name from the streusel topping that is added to the top of the cake. The dense batter of the coffee cake sinks to the bottom of the pan, which causes the streusel topping to 'buckle' as the cake bakes in the oven.

What Is The Difference Between A Buckle And A Coffee Cake?

The only real difference between a buckle and a coffee cake is that fruit is added to the batter of a buckle. It's often made with berries.

Streusel topping is added to a buckle and often added to coffee cake, but this is not a requirement. Coffee cake is meant to be enjoyed with coffee, although both a buckle and coffee cake are perfect paired with a hot cup of coffee.

Ingredients For Blueberry Buckle

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 2 scant cups plus Gluten Free Flour Blend (equals 240 grams and can be measured using a kitchen scale)
• 4 tsp. Baking Powder
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ cup Unsalted Butter (split) (equals 1 stick)
• ½ cup Sugar
• ¾ cup Sour Cream
• 3 Eggs
• ¼ cup Milk (or nondairy milk alternative)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 Lemon (zest only)
• 1 pint Fresh Blueberries
• ⅓ packed cup Brown Sugar
• ½ tsp. Cinnamon
• ⅓ cup plus 2 Tbsp. Gluten Free Flour Blend (split)

Which Flour Is Best When Making A Buckle?

This blueberry coffee cake is gluten free and uses a gluten free flour blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour or Cup 4 Cup. I love gluten free flour blends such as these, because they work just as AP flour would and require no complicated ingredients.

I have not tested this recipe with AP flour and cannot guarantee the results. I recommend using a gluten free flour blend even if gluten is not an issue for you to ensure the best taste and texture.

How To Make A Blueberry Buckle

This is a simple cake adapted from an old fashioned recipe and requires no fancy techniques or equipment.

The wet and dry ingredients are mixed separately and then combined with blueberries that are tossed with flour.

A streusel topping is added to the batter just before baking, giving it a sweet and crunchy topping.

1. Start by heating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Generously grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Add 1 Tbsp. gluten free flour blend and toss until it coats the pan.
3. In a mixing bowl, add 2 scant cups gluten free flour blend (measuring 240 grams using a kitchen scale), 4 tsp. baking powder, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt. Mix together completely with a fork.
4. In another bowl, add ¼ cup (equals ½ stick) of softened unsalted butter and a ½ cup sugar. Whisk on medium for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy using a KitchenAid mixer or hand mixer.
5. To the butter and sugar add ¾ cup sour cream, 3 eggs, ¼ cup milk (or nondairy milk substitute), 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and the zest of 1 lemon (the lemon may be zested using a Microplane or small grater). Whisk on medium for another minute.
6. The mixture should be light and creamy when it's finished mixing.

Why Add Flour To The Blueberries?

The star of the blueberry buckle is, of course, blueberries! Fresh blueberries work great in this recipe and mid-summer is the perfect time for them. 

1. Add 1 pint of fresh blueberries to a 3rd mixing bowl (Yes – dishes will need to be washed but it’s totally worth it).
2. To the blueberries add 1 Tbsp. gluten free flour blend and mix until the blueberries are completely coated in the flour. 

The logic behind this step is that the flour is supposed to prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom as the cake bakes and prevent it from becoming soggy but there are different schools of thought on this.

Some say it’s a necessary step and others say it’s pointless. I decided to go for it and the blueberries ended up nicely distributed throughout the cake.

Can I Use Frozen Blueberries?

I have not tested this recipe using frozen blueberries, but it should be fine to do so. Simply substitute the same amount of frozen berries for fresh.

Add 5 more minutes of baking time if using frozen blueberries.

Which Pan Is Best For Baking Coffee Cake?

I love to use a springform pan when baking this blueberry coffee cake. A springform pan allows for the bottom to detach after baking, making it easy to slice and serve.

You can use either an 8 or 9 inch springform pan to make this cake. The cake may rise slightly more if using an 8 inch pan.

Feel free to use a regular round or square 8 or 9 inch cake pan if you do not have a springform pan.

1. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet mixture, combine, and then repeat. The batter will be thick and creamy when combined.
2. Add the floured blueberries to the bowl and fold into the batter with a spatula.
3. Pour the batter into the greased and floured pan and spread the top evenly with a spatula.

How To Make Streusel Topping

Blueberry cake studded with sour cream and lemon zest is tasty on its own, but it's made even better with the addition of cinnamon streusel topping.

The streusel topping gives the cake much of its sweetness and a great crunchy texture as well.

1. To make the streusel, combine ¼ cup (equals ½ stick) of softened unsalted butter, ⅓ cup packed brown sugar, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ⅓ cup gluten free flour blend, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt in a small bowl.
2. Combine the mixture with a fork or pastry cutter until it's crumbly.
3. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the cake batter in the pan.

How Long Should I Bake A Blueberry Buckle?

Pop the pan in the oven and bake for 65 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

At this point you will drive anyone who lives with you crazy with hunger. I’m telling you – the aroma of this cake as it bakes is out of this world.

The top should become golden and it’s said that the streusel ‘buckles’ as it cooks – Hence the name.

Feel free to test the cake with a toothpick. It should come out clean when the cake is done.

Remove the cake from the oven when finished baking and allow it to cool before serving. Remove the outer ring from the springform pan.

The cake is now ready to serve.

What To Serve With Blueberry Buckle

If you ask me, a cup of coffee is essential with treats like this one.

You can serve it with some homemade or store bought whipped cream or coconut whipped cream.

It can also be drizzled with some crème anglais or served with ice cream to make the dish more decadent.

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• Baked Lemon Doughnuts
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• Pumpkin Bread Pudding
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake

How To Store Coffee Cake

This Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake should last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge.

It's important to store it in an airtight container or it may dry out.

Can I Freeze Blueberry Coffee Cake?

Yes, this cake can be frozen and enjoyed at a later time.

How To Freeze

1. Allow the cake to cool completely before freezing.
2. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place the wrapped cake in a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag.
3. Label with the date and store up to 3 months.

How To Thaw

1. Transfer the cake to the fridge 24 hours before serving.
2. The cake may be eaten once thawed or microwaved for a few seconds to heat it up.

Love old fashioned treats? Check out these recipes!

• Old Fashioned Rhubarb Bread
• Coffee Infused Banana Bread
• Rhubarb Streusel Muffins
• Rhubarb Cake
• Gluten Free Apple Cake
• Streusel Apple Muffins

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