One, two buckle your shoe. Three, four knock at the door. Five, six pick up sticks. Seven, eight this dessert will be freakin’ great.
That last part of this classic nursery rhyme was all me. I’m sure I didn’t need to point that out, but you never know. Just add “bustin’ a rhyme” to my resume. I am breaking out a nice homey, end-of-summer recipe, Blueberry Buckle.
If you have never tasted a buckle you are in for a treat. Who can really resist nice, plump, sweet blueberries nestled between a yummy white cake and crunchy streusel? My guess is no one. It is a treat your mother or grandmother probably has made a time or two in her life. I guess that would make it the “mother” of all cakes.
I love desserts that work morning, noon or night, and this is one of those for sure. Of course, who can’t eat cake any time of the day? But there is something special about this one that pairs well with coffee in the morning, or with a nice dessert wine after dinner. I recommend Adagio, Grand Valley Black Muscat from Bookcliff Vineyards in case you’re wondering. It’s a Colorado wine that takes the cake and, with the Buckle, would make for a great Labor Day party combo. Who needs beers and brats when you could have wine and cake?
This treat does not look like a buckle, by the way. The name comes from the cake rising and then the weight of the blueberries on top of the cake causing it to, well, buckle. I know, dessert facts are so fun. I’m sure Duff from Ace of Cakes has in fact actually made a Buckle cake. Maybe for a country singer’s birthday, or for a rapper, to remind him a “buckle will help you hold your drawers up.”
All I know is this recipe might not look like a Buckle Cake, but it is delicious, simple to make, and you can sing nursery rhymes as you bake it. Nineteen, 20, my cake plate is empty! Now, follow the directions, put some love into it and invite me over when it’s done.
Blueberry Buckle
1 1/4 cups flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. allspice 1/4 cup unsalted softened butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup milk (I used 1%) 1 1/2 cups blueberries (washed and dried) 1 tbsp. flour
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
I love desserts that work morning, noon or night
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 square baking pan. In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder and allspice. Set aside.
In a large bowl mix together butter and brown sugar, with an electric mixer or by hand, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture into the wet mixture and stir until almost incorporated. Add the milk and mix until the batter is well combined. Toss in the blueberries with 1 tbsp. of flour and gently fold them into the cake batter. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. For the topping, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix it all with a fork or two knifes until the streusel resembles coarse crumbs. Spread this over the top of the cake. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the buckle is golden and bubbling. Serve warm or at room temperature, topping it off with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!
You can watch the Dessert Diva every Monday at 8:35 a.m. on Channel 2. To contact Danette at the station, visit 2thedeuce.com, and click on Daybreak on the Deuce. To chat and/or send comments and suggestions, write to jdromega@aol. com Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com
