A delicious, old-fashioned fruit buckle recipe. Use any fruit, fresh or frozen, single fruit or a combination of fruits. A great warm dessert served with a scoop of ice cream.

fruit buckle in pan with spoon

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What is a buckle cake and why you’ll love it!

  • You will need just 2 cups of any fruit and you can use either fresh or frozen fruit, making this a very adaptable cake.
  • You can use just one kind of fruit or a combination of different fruits, so it’s great for using up bits of fresh or frozen fruit.
  • A buckle cake makes a delicious and easy warm fruit dessert, which is especially nice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Key Ingredients

Fruit – you can use either fresh or frozen fruit. You can also use a single fruit or a combination of fruits. Here I used frozen fruit, a combination of blueberries, blackberries and black cherries.

For a classic buckle, go for blueberry – fresh or frozen. Peach and blueberry is a great combination, as is peach and raspberry. In Spring, try a strawberry and rhubarb version and in Fall, try a pear and blackberry! Buckles are a great vehicle for being creative.

FAQ

Why is it called a buckle cake? A buckle cake is named after its distinctively buckled appearance after baking. As the cake cooks, the batter rises, but the fruit on top weighs it down here and there, so the top of the cake buckles as it bakes.

Can I use frozen berries in a cake? Absolutely! Frozen berries and fruit work beautifully in most cake, including this one.

Do you need to thaw frozen berries before baking? No! Just add them to the cake from frozen. Allow a few extra minutes of baking time when using frozen fruit.

Can I double this recipe? Yes you can. Simply double all the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch pan instead.

Step-by-Step Photos

    photo collage of steps to make fruit buckle 1

  1. Cream together the room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the egg and beat in well.
  3. Add the vanilla.
  4. Mix together well.

    5. photo collage of steps to make fruit buckle 2

  5. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture.
  6. Add about 1/2 of the milk.
  7. Repeat until all the flour and milk is mixed in.
  8. Remove batter to prepared pan.

    9. photo collage of steps to make fruit buckle 3

  9. Make the crumb topping by mixing together then adding cold butter pieces.
  10. Rub the butter in until you have a coarse crumb.
  11. Add the fruit on top of the batter.
  12. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over-top.

Storage, Making ahead and Freezing

Fruit buckle keeps covered on the counter for a day or so. You can also cover and refrigerate to extend the shelf-life.

Fruit buckle can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

fruit buckle in pan with spoon

fruit buckle in pan with spoon

Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Fruit Buckle

Easy and delicious fruit buckle cake recipe, which can be made with fresh or frozen fruit. Use any fruit you like or a combination of fruits.
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Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60 g) butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (92 g) white granulated sugar
  • 1 large (1) egg
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla
  • 1 cup (131 g) all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp (5 g) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) salt, reduce to 1/4 tsp for salted butter
  • 1/3 cup (75 ml) milk
  • 2 cups (500 ml) fruit, fresh or frozen

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup (92 g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (43 g) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) butter, cold and cut into 5 or 6 pieces

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F (regular bake/not fan-assisted).
  • Grease and/or line an 8-inch square or 9-inch round metal baking pan and set aside. *If using a glass pan, reduce the oven temperature by 25F.
  • In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the egg and beat in well. Add the vanilla and mix in.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, until well. combined (so add 1/3 of the flour, 1/2 of the milk, another 1/3 of the flour, the remaining milk, then the remaining flour.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
  • Scatter the fruit evenly over the top.
  • In a small bowl, make the crumb by stirring together the sugar flour and cinnamon. Add the butter pieces and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have a coarse crumb.
  • Grab a bit of the crumb mixture then squeeze to create a clump. Break the clump up a bit as you scatter over the fruit in the pan. Repeat this process until you have scattered all the crumb mixture evenly over the fruit.
  • Bake for 45 minutes for fresh fruit or about 50 minutes for frozen fruit, or until golden in spots and the edges have shrunk in from the sides. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes (or more/completely) before serving.
  • Lovely served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Dessert
Author: Jennifer
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 283kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 225mg, Potassium: 169mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 363IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 55mg, Iron: 1mg
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