Best Blueberry Buckle with Warm Spices and Coconut Streusel – It’s Gluten Free!
Jul 31, 2026
An American Old-Fashioned Fruit Buckle, yet updated for today’s tastes. Similar to a coffee cake, studded with Blueberries and a Crisp Streusel – the cake rises around the fruit, causing the top to “buckle.” With a moist soft crumb – Blueberry Buckle with Warm Spices is a must make summer dessert!
Feel free to swap regular flour for gluten free.
The recipe itself originated in Colonial New England as an adaptation of an English cake, and uses a native ingredient – blueberries.
What Is A Fruit Buckle?
This Blueberry Buckle is made up from cake batter that sinks and “buckles” around the heavy fruit (that is folded in) as it bakes.
Similar to a coffee cake with a heavy ratio of fruit to batter.
Just out over the oven – I bake in a 9″ springform pan.
Alternatively you can choose a 9″ cake pan or 9″ square baking pan.
The Charm:
As the cake bakes and rises in the oven, the weight of the fruit and the crunchy streusel on top causes the soft batter to dip, sink, or buckle.
How is My Blueberry Buckle Different from the Old Fashioned Version?
- This recipe is Gluten Free – – you would never know it!
- I have added three warm spices to the batter – that elevates the flavor, provides depth and creates a cozy aroma. Don’t skip these spices!
- I add LESS streusel! I ♥️ streusel – yet it can add too much sugary sweetness. There is plenty in this recipe for a good crunchy topping, and love a little coconut here too.
Let’s Get Baking:
Dry Ingredients:
Gluten Free Flour Blend, Sugar, Baking Powder, Sea Salt, Warm Spices: Cinnamon, Ground Cardamom & Ground Cloves and 2 1/2 cups Fresh Blueberries.
Wet Ingredients:
Coconut Milk (love but can substitute your favorite milk), Egg, Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Almond Extract.
FEEL FREE to use regular flour in this recipe!!
Streusel Ingredients: Melted Butter, Sugar, Coconut Palm Sugar (can use light brown sugar), Gluten Free Flour Blend and Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
The Method:
OVERVIEW:
1. Make the quick Coconut Streusel; set aside.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon of flour into the bowl of blueberries, stir to coat (helps distribute berries in the batter.)
3. Cream Butter and Sugar until light and fluffy, beat in Egg and Both Extracts on low speed.
4. Add half of the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Three Warm Spices. Blend on low speed. Alternate with the Coconut Milk and remaining Flour, beating each addition on low speed.
5. Fold in the Blueberries by hand with a rubber spatula – gently! Spoon into the prepared springform pan.
6. Dot all over with the streusel and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 – 50 minutes until nicely risen and very firm on the top. Cool, then released the pan’s ring.
Add 1 teaspoon of Gluten Free Flour to the berries and toss – (helps distribute berries in the batter.)
Quite simple to prepare – I use a KitchenAid stand mixer, using the paddle
Fold in the blueberries gently by hand – use a rubber spatula
Add Coconut Streusel on top – pinch with your fingers to cover
The Structure: It features a high ratio of fruit to batter. As the cake bakes and rises in the oven, the weight of the fruit and the crunchy streusel on top causes the soft batter to dip, sink, or buckle.
SEE the slight dips in the batter and streusel? That’s why it is called a “Blueberry Buckle.” The surface of the cake will wrinkle and buckle.
A fabulous Gluten Free recipe to add to your baking repertoire!
Or – Use regular flour with great results!
Enjoy solo, or with a scoop of ice cream.
Popular Fruit Desserts with Fruit:
- Buckles are moist fruit cakes with streusel toppings with the batter dipping (buckling) usually with a crisp Streusel Topping
- Cobblers are baked fruit dessert with a batter or a biscuit crust
- Crisps are mostly comprised of fruit with streusel topping baked on the top
- Galette: A rustic, free-form tart baked flat on a baking sheet.
- Pie: Fruit enclosed in a flaky pastry crust, either double or single layer. (Also cream pies and meringue pies.)
- Sorbet: Chilled puree of fruit, sugar, and water with no dairy.
- Trifle: Layered dessert of sponge cake, custard, whipped cream, and fresh berries.
- Fool: A classic British dessert of puréed fruit folded into sweet whipped cream.
- Granita: Semi-frozen dessert made from water, sugar, and liquid fruit flavorings.
Enjoy Summer Baking and this delicious Blueberry Buckle !
Karen
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Best Blueberry Buckle with Warm Spices and Coconut Streusel – It’s Gluten Free!
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 9" round springform pan
Ingredients
Buckle Wet Ingredients:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, (1/2 cup), softened; I use organic
- 3/4 cups pure cane sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature; I use pasture raised
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend , PLUS 1 teaspoon for coating blueberries / I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Coconut Milk:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat), well stirred (not "lite")
Blueberries:
- 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried
- 1 teaspoon Gluten Free Flour Blend
Coconut Streusel:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons Gluten Free Flour Blend
- 2 tablespoons pure cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Add a parchment circle to the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.* Grease the bottom and side with a neutral oil.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the Coconut Streusel.Toss blueberries in a bowl with 1 teaspoon Gluten Free Flour, mix in.
- In a stand mixer, add softened butter and sugar. Using the paddle, cream together for 3 minutes at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract; combine at low speed.
- Add ONE cup Gluten Free Flour, baking powder, sea salt and three warm spices. Blend over low speed, until almost incorporated. Add HALF (1/4 cup) coconut milk, blend over low speed, until almost incorporated. Add second Cup Gluten Free Flour – blend over low speed, until almost incorporated. Add last 1/4 cup coconut milk, blend on low speed until batter comes together.By hand fold in blueberries with a rubber spatula evenly – but gently!
- Add streusel on top in big pinches evenly – will not totally cover the batter.
- Bake for 45 – 50 minutes until well risen, and feels very firm on top. Cool on a wire rack, then release the pan's ring.
Coconut Streusel:
- Make the Coconut Streusel: Melt butter in a small bowl (microwave easiest), cool slightly. Add remaining streusel ingredients. Using a fork mix all ingredients together gently until it just comes together; set aside.
Notes
The Buckle can be kept at room temperature, securely covered for up to 3 days. Can be frozen, and defrosted at room temperature. For freezing, I like to cut into wedges, wrap tightly in waxed paper and added to a container with a good seal. Then each piece can be taken out and enjoyed! This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
