Got Blueberries? Make Lemon Blueberry Buckle

Last year, I told you all about my annual girl’s trip to Maine with my mom. This year, since we were adding a baby, my daughter Scarlett, we decided to stay a bit closer to Chicago. We settled on New Buffalo, Michigan which is just 75 miles from the city, making it the perfect distance for a long weekend getaway!

If you plan to visit in the summer, you’ll want to plan your trip well in advance as hotels, bed and breakfasts, and rentals fill quickly. New Buffalo has all the elements you need for a great trip – beautiful scenery (the beach), fun shops, delicious food and wine, and a variety of activities to keep you busy if you get tired of relaxing!

We stopped at Leeds Public House in Michigan City for lunch on the way – they have a great menu and even better cocktails. I had the SPF (Strawberry Prosecco Fun) with gin, strawberry, aperol, lemon, and prosecco.

For dinner we sat on the patio at Brewsters in New Buffalo – we enjoyed the largest mussels I’ve ever had, and a delicious sourdough pizza with garlic, rosemary ricotta, and hot honey.

We made our stops at other dining staples in New Buffalo culture like the Stray Dog – which has a fabulous rooftop for adults, and while I usually insist on a trip to Oink’s for ice cream, Nancy’s was closer and did not disappoint! Thankfully there was a line, so I had time to figure out which flavor I’d try! Try both Oinks and Nancy's – in the name of “research” and pick your winner.

My favorite meal of the trip was at Susan’s in Sawyer, Michigan. We tried the cavatelli, a fried chicken sandwich, and a delicious side of snap peas. Elevated food on a charming patio – I can’t think of anything better.

There are lots of wineries and distilleries in the area to enjoy – we stopped at St. Julian and Journeyman which makes for a fun afternoon. That was our reward for our hard work at Mike’s Blueberry Farm in the morning! I made sure to squeeze in a picking session since July is prime season for blueberry picking. Blueberries have been really inexpensive in the grocery stores in Chicago lately, but the ones you pick yourself just automatically taste so much better.

We picked about 5 pounds so I knew there would be lots of blueberry recipes in my future. Blueberries also freeze really well, so if you pick too many to use quickly, freeze them on a sheet pan and then put them into a Ziploc bag to enjoy later. Most times, you don’t even need to thaw the berries before using them.

I’ve made my share of blueberry recipes over the years – both sweet and savory! Pancakes are a classic, of course, but some of my other favorites have been a rack of lamb with a blueberry balsamic sauce, brownie pizza with blueberries, and blueberry zucchini bread. This time, I decided a lemon blueberry buckle would be a perfect way to showcase the blueberries we picked, and would have me thinking about our girl’s trip with every bite.

What’s a buckle? A buckle is a moist cake with fruit and a streusel topping – the topping often appears to “buckle,” hence the name. I love that it’s supposed to look rustic, so it’s unlike most baked goods where you’re looking for a perfect appearance, you actually want the cake to buckle! This buckle comes together quickly and is perfect for dessert, brunch, breakfast, or just a midday snack. You can eat it on its own, room temperature or warm, or top with whipped cream or ice cream.

Lemon Blueberry Buckle

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Serves: 8-12

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 75 minutes

For the cake:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

2 lemons, zested

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 Tablespoons flour

2 cups blueberries

For the streusel:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 9x9" square pan.

2. For the cake, in a large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar, until light yellow and fluffy.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Alternating with the milk, add the dry ingredients to the mixer.

7. Fold the blueberries into the batter (don’t use the mixer – you’ll have blue batter!)

8. Spread the batter into the greased pan.

I hope that this recipe has you inspired to bake more, and that you’ll join us for some of our upcoming baking classes:

• Hands-On Artisanal Breads Boot Camp Saturday, September 9 10am
• Hands-On Gluten-Free Baking and Pastry Friday, September 15 11am
• Hands-On How to Bake Bread Saturday, September 23 11am
• Hands-On Pastry Boot Camp: Modern European Desserts Saturday, October 7 9am
• Hands-On Pie and Tart Boot Camp: Fall Menu Saturday, October 14 10am
• Hands-On Cupcake Boot Camp: Fall Menu Saturday, October 28 10am

Also be sure to mark your calendars because Apple Fest is coming up in just 5 weeks – Saturday, September 30th and Sunday, October 1st. Come by and taste our famous Chopping Block Apple Pie!

Yield: 8-12

Author: Kate Augustin

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Lemon Blueberry Buckle

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Ingredients

For the cake

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 2 lemons, zested
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 cups blueberries

For the struesel

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 9x9" square pan.
2. For the cake, in a large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar, until light yellow and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and lemon zest and mix to incorporate
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Alternating with the milk, add the dry ingredients to the mixer.
6. In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 2 Tablespoons of flour.
7. Fold the blueberries into the batter (don’t use the mixer – you’ll have blue batter!)
8. Spread the batter into the greased pan.
9. In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients, until crumbly, sprinkle over the batter.
10. Bake for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Enjoy on its own, with whipped cream, ice cream, or a nice strong cup of coffee!