Easy Sourdough Discard Blueberry Buckle Recipe

A sweet and tender cake, sprinkled with a crunchy streusel topping and speckled with fresh blueberries, this Sourdough Blueberry Buckle is quick to make and sure to impress. Perfect to serve as breakfast, with afternoon tea, or as an after-dinner dessert. Make with fresh blueberries during the blueberry season or with frozen blueberries to enjoy all year long.

Late spring and early summer, otherwise known as blueberry season, is a time for everything blueberry. It’s a time for snacking on handfuls of freshly picked blueberries and where the breakfast table and countertop are graced with all of the family’s favorite blueberry recipes- blueberry pancakes, muffins, cobblers, and more!

The one family favorite that my Michiganian dad still craves most often is my grandma’s, Blueberry Buckle. So as that time of year approaches once again, I’m pulling out her checkered recipe card and giving her original recipe a few little twists.

Still just as moist, sweet, and bursting with bites of blueberry, I’ve added my favorite, sourdough starter (otherwise known as sourdough discard). I just can’t help it! I love finding new ways to incorporate sourdough discard, like in my Sourdough Discard Pie Crust (another one of my grandma’s recipes made sourdough)or in my Cheddar and Chive Sourdough Irish Soda Bread.

In this recipe, the sourdough starter not only adds a wonderful sourdough tang to this cake but also reduces the gluten formation in the batter, creating a softer and more tender cake.

I’ve also incorporated some fresh lemon zest in the batter for an extra bit of zip and brightness. You just can’t go wrong with blueberry and lemon, you know?

Altogether, the lightness of the cake, the crunch of the streusel crumbles, and the sweetness of the blueberries just can’t be beaten and I hope my sourdough rendition would make my grandma proud.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• Quick and easy: This is a no-fuss recipe and can be whipped up in a pinch. I even learned that you can make the crumble ahead of time and freeze it in a ziplock bag to save even more time in the future!
• No waste: If you’re like me, you’re always looking for new ways to use your leftover sourdough starter and this is a winner!
• Leftover blueberries: In a season jam-packed with sourdough blueberry cobbler or sourdough muffins recipes, try this less familiar, but undoubtedly delicious, sourdough blueberry buckle. Another blueberry recipe in your repertoire.

Ingredients

Sourdough Blueberry Buckle:

All-purpose flour – My favorite brand to use is King Arthur’s Flour.

Baking powder

Salt – Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s unrefined salt for some extra minerals!

Butter – Softened

Sugar – Granulated white sugar

Sourdough Starter – I find sourdough discard that is about 24 – 48hrs old works best for this recipe, however, you can use even older discard for a more tangy taste.

Milk

Egg

Vanilla Extract

Lemon zest – Only peel the very outside of the lemon rind. If you zest too deep, the white part tends to be very bitter.

Blueberries – Fresh is best, but you can use frozen and make this treat any time of the year!

Crumble Topping:

White Sugar

Brown Sugar

Flour

Cinnamon

Butter – Be sure to use cold butter! Using room-temperature or melted butter will cause the topping to spread out and flatten when it bakes.

Supplies

Stand mixer or hand mixer

Mixing Bowls

Wooden Spoon

Measuring cups and spoons

Kitchen Scale

Round or 9×9 square baking pan

Parchment Paper

Wire rack

How to Make Crumble Topping

In a medium bowl, add white and brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cold, cubed butter.

Crumble the larger pieces of butter with your fingers and mix by hand until the butter is well coated with the flour mixture. It’s best to work quickly in order to prevent the butter from getting too soft. Softened butter will melt during the baking and result in a flat crust, rather than a crunchy crumble.

Place the bowl of crumble topping in the fridge to chill until ready to top our sourdough blueberry buckle.

How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Buckle

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees f.

Grease the inside of a round cake pan or 9×9 square pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 stick of softened butter until it is light and fluffy.

Then add a large egg and mix until pale yellow color.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sourdough starter, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the stand mixer and mix on low speed for about a minute, stopping to occasionally scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl so that everything is incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, half a cup at a time while mixing on low speed. Be sure not to over-mix the batter.

In a large bowl, pour flour over the fresh or frozen blueberries. You shouldn’t need much flour, just enough to coat the blueberries, about a couple of tablespoons. Mix with a wooden spoon until they are evenly coated.

Scoop half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread smoothly. Pour 1 cup of blueberries on top of the batter. Place the remaining batter on top and spread evenly. Add the remaining blueberries on top of the cake.

The finishing touch is to sprinkle an even layer of the crumb topping – don’t miss the edges!

Place your pan into the preheated oven and bake until the 45-50 minute mark or until golden brown. Double-check that it is fully baked with the toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking.

Remove the sourdough blueberry buckle from the oven and cool it on a wire rack.

Once it is just warm to the touch, slice it up in wedges or squares and display them on your favorite serving plate!

Good luck saving them til the next day – they are that scrumptious!

How to Serve Sourdough Blueberry Buckle:

Whether you call it a buckle, coffee cake, or sourdough blueberry crumb cake, this blueberry goodness should be served accompanied by a steaming cup of coffee or tea.

It can surely impress your guests with no extra frills but we all know that an extra dollop of sweetness is always invited to the party. Serve this sourdough blueberry buckle warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, custard, or homemade whipped cream.

How to Store Sourdough Blueberry Buckle:

Cover the sourdough blueberry buckle with plastic wrap once completely cooled or store it in an air-tight container. It will keep for 2-3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a Buckle?

A buckle, also cheekily known as “boy bait”, is a coffee-cake-like dessert with a sweet crumble topping, but packed filled with fresh fruit. While the cake rises, the weight of the blueberries causes the cake to “buckle”, or crack, around the fruit.

Can I Make a Sourdough Blueberry Buckle with Different Fruits?

Though blueberry is the family favorite for this buckle recipe, you can swap them out for strawberries, blackberries, rhubarb, or even cherries! Feel free to omit the lemon zest and add extra cinnamon, if desired.

Can you Freeze Sourdough Blueberry Buckle?

Most certainly! Once the sourdough blueberry buckle has cooled completely, cover it with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and store it in a plastic gallon-sized bag. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw on the countertop before serving.

Can I use Frozen Blueberries?

Absolutely! With the help of frozen blueberries, this sweet treat can be enjoyed all year long. No need to thaw your frozen blueberries before folding them into the batter. If you do, the blueberry juices may turn the batter purple. A fun presentation, but not a traditional, serving style.

Sprinkle the frozen blueberries with flour until lightly coated. This helps them to stick to the batter so they don’t sink to the bottom while baking.

Happy baking!

More Sourdough Discard Recipes:

Sourdough Discard Banana Bars

Sourdough Pie Crust – for Sweet or Savory Pies!

Cheddar and Chive Sourdough Irish Soda Bread