Buckle for Breakfast

I hope you can forgive me for we're wandering down the baking aisle again. It is Christmas after all. 

This time we're jumping back a few entries in the baker's bible from bundt cake to buckle. What is buckle, you ask? As best as I can tell, it's coffee cake annoited with a name that often raises eyebrows and elicits questions, and that's also far more fun to say. I've also read that it differs just slightly from everyday coffee cake because you sprinkle the berries over the top of the batter rather than folding them into it before you bake the cake. This way, as the cake bakes the berries sink into the batter and give the cake a "buckled" appearance - and its clever name.

You could easily serve buckle for dessert but because it is Jake's favorite breakfast, I'll be serving it as a surprise when he gets home tomorrow morning. (I somewhat doubt it will be much of a surprise though: he's already asked me to make it on Christmas dozens of times this month.)

There are three buckles in the book Jake's favorite recipe comes from but he will not let me make any others or tinker with the one he adores. And truthfuly, I don't blame him for begging me to leave the lemon blueberry buckle alone. It's perfect as it is, a tart little thing graced with pockets of blueberries and a fluffy, buttermilk-based crumb.

The success of this buckle, as I believe it, lies in the boost it gets from not one but three additions of lemon. There's lemon zest in the buttery crumb topping, and more zest in the cake batter. And then there's the lemon syrup that adorns this cake and makes it so darn irresistable. It's positively mouth-puckering and the perfect contrast to the sweet cake beneath.  

Lemon Blueberry Buckle 
This citrusy, blueberry-studded buckle comes from a handsome little cookbook called Rustic Fruit Desserts, which is a truly useful baking handbook filled with straightforward recipes and desserts that are beautiful in their simplicity. That doesn't mean recipes like this one aren't on the longer side. Stick with it and you'll be rewarded with a buckle you'll never want to replace. 

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed 

Cake 
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (I prefer frozen this time of year) 

Lemon Syrup 
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Juice of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. (Alternatively, I've had success using a 9-inch round cake pan if you prefer a cake with curves).

To make the crumb topping, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a medium size bowl. Add the butter, using a fork or your fingers to cut in the butter until the size of peas. Place the bowl in the freezer while you mix the cake batter.

To make the cake, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, or about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition if necessary.

Mix in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, until both the flour mixture and buttermilk are evenly incorporated into the batter. Scrap down the sides of the bowl when necessary.

Gently fold 1 cup of the blueberries into the batter with a spatula. Spread the batter in to the prepared baking pan and distribute the remaining 1 cup of blueberries evenly over the top of the batter.

Remove the crumb topping from the freezer and sprinkle it over the berries, then place the pan in the oven and bake for 50 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm on top.

When the cake is nearly finished baking, make the lemon glaze by combining the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Whisk the mixture until blended, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until syrupy, or about 8 to 10 minutes. The glaze will bubble while cooking, so you may need to remove the pan from the heat to check that it has reached a syrupy consistency. When the syrup is finished, turn off the heat.

Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle the warm glaze over the top of the cake using a spoon. Serve immediately, or cool to room temperature if desired. The buckle will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, when covered.

-From Rustic Fruit Desserts By Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson