Blueberry Buckles and other Fruity Things

Something I have realized over my casual culinary career, that never ceases to surprise me, is how good fresh fruit and brown sugar taste together.  If a recipe calls for those two things it probably won't be bad. I love baking fruity desserts, and I was surprised when I realized how few (read: zero) I had on this blog. BUT this is about to change my friends because, this Blueberry Buckle encompasses both fresh fruit and brown sugar, and it tastes amazing (I already tested it for you,  no guess work on this recipe!).

A buckle  is similar to coffee cake with fruit baked in the cake batter and topped with a sugar-y cinnamon-y topping. After the buckle is baked, the cake can be seen through cracks made by the topping, and it looks as though the entire cake itself had buckled. This is one theory behind why this delicious dessert is called a buckle, but whatever you call it, I'd eat it.

 I served this dessert along side freshly whipped cream and a Bursting Blueberry Compote, because more blueberries is never a bad thing. Serve this to some favorite company on a temperate summer evening, and I can guarantee you will have a good afternoon in the making.

Blueberry Buckle

Yeild: 1 9x9 inch dish (~9 portions)

Cake:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter of choice (I use a yogurt butter from a tub)

1 large egg (or egg substitute)

1/2 cup milk of choice

1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

2 cups GF flour blend:

       1/2 cup tapioca starch*

       1/2 cup brown rice flour*

       1 cup sorghum

       (optional) 1 t xanthan gum

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 cups blueberries (both fresh and frozen work, you could even try raspberries or your favorite fruit!)

Topping:

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup GF flour (brown rice)

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter of choice

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees F, and butter (and sugar-coat) the edges of a 9x9 inch pan

2. For the Cake: cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the egg, milk and yogurt and mix well.

3. Combine the flours and mix in the baking powder and salt. 

4. Incorporate the dry mix into the wet ingredients.

5. Gently fold in the blueberries.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

7. Combine all the topping ingredients and evenly distribute by crumbling it between your fingers ontop of the cake batter.

8. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean.

This is wonderful served either warm or cold.

I served it at room temp with this freshly whipped cream and this Bursting Blueberry Compote, delish!

BUT, if I were to serve it warm from the oven, I think vanilla ice cream would be a great accompaniment.

*Notes: next time I think I would like to use arrowroot starch in place of the tapioca and oatmeal flour in place of the brown rice, just because I like these two ingredients (personal preference) and I tend to have these more readily on-hand. But I can't attest to the results because I haven't make it yet...hmmm, is that an excuse I now have to make this again? :)

And a blueberry lemon/orange version of a buckle might be nice, by adding a teaspoon of zest to the cake batter before baking!

Cheers,
      Suzy