Mixed Berry Buckle is the Taste of Summer
Fresh juicy berries are what summer is all about. I wish I could nosh on big ole berries year round, but that just doesn’t happen. So when they are in season I cannot get enough. Today we’re making a mixed berry buckle that is part cake, part gooey berry goodness. What’s not to love?
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Mixed Berry Buckle Thoughts
Last year my aunt made a mixed berry cobbler with fresh fruit from her garden and it was amazing! Seriously, it’s been a year and I still fantasize about the sticky, sweet, tart berry goodness under the sweet biscuit topping. This is actually a common issue for me. Haha! (That’s how I made this Ham & Brie Bread.)
But I decided to go with a mixed berry buckle, because cake. A buckle is like a fruit crisp or cobbler, but with cake batter on top. This recipe is based off of a recipe from The Baking Bible. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make it.
Fresh or Frozen Berries?
There is nothing better than fresh berries, I clearly feel strongly about this. But sometimes you just can’t get gorgeous fresh fruit. And that’s a bummer. I feel like you could probably use an equal amount of frozen berries. You could thaw them first or add a few minutes to the bake time.
Either way, you can choose whichever berries you want. I did an equal amount of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. But you do you! Throw in strawberries, mulberries, or even cherries. Make this mixed berry buckle for your own taste buds.
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Lemon Lovin’
Whenever you’re baking with beautiful berries, you’re probably going to find lemons in the mix too. The bright tang of citrus helps lift up the flavor of the berries. And it’s up to you how intense this citrus punch is.
The original recipe used more lemon zest and juice, but had quite a bit of a bite to it. So, here I’ve cut it back a little bit. There’s still enough to brighten the flavor, but you just won’t have a lemon smacking you in the mouth. Again, you do you and adjust accordingly.
How to Warm Your Butter Quickly
Nothing is more of a bummer than pulling out your ingredients, cracking eggs, and then realizing your butter is cold. Boo. But it’s summer! So it’s super easy to quickly warm up your butter without it getting all soupy.
Slice your butter into tablespoon sized chunks and place them on a plate. Cover it up with cling wrap and place it outside in the sun for 5- 10 minutes. Check on it halfway to make sure it doesn’t get too soft. This little hack doesn’t work for every recipe, but for a no fuss mixed berry buckle, it’s a dream.
Related Reading: Lemon Raspberry Ripple Cake
Baking Your Buckle
This mixed berry buckle doesn’t bake quite like a normal cake. So be warned. First of all, you’re going to place the batter in a ring around the berries. There will be a gap on the sides and in the middle. But as it bakes, the batter will spread to just about cover it all up.
You’re going to want to test the center of the cake for doneness. I thought mine was done, but when I scooped it, the center of the batter was runny! So I popped it back in until it was done. No biggie. Poke the top and it should spring back. If you use a skewer, don’t pierce all the way through to the berries.
Summer Baking
A mixed berry buckle is one of the best summer desserts. But they are best served fresh and still warm from the oven. I suggest making this sweet, gooey dessert right before your next summer BBQ or party.
But this buckle is also a pretty small dessert, so if you end up eating it all yourself, that’s cool too. I mean, it’s practically fruit salad, right? And here’s a little pro tip. Top a bowl of it with some vanilla ice cream. Yum! I kinda dropped the ball on that, but it would be the perfect addition.
Related Reading: Lemon Blueberry Cake
Enjoy!
Ooey, gooey berries topped with a light vanilla cake make this mixed berry buckle a perfect summer dessert. Enjoy this treat by yourself, or bring it to your next backyard BBQ! Either way, you are going to love it. And don’t forget to subscribe to Bakes & Blunders for access to my FREE resource library and so you never miss a recipe.
Mixed Berry Buckle
Ingredients
Mixed Berry Filling
- 20 ounces fresh mixed berries*
- 1 lemon
- 3.5 oz sugar
- 4 tsps cornstarch
Cake Topping
- 2 egg yolks room temperature
- 3 oz sour cream divided
- 3/4 tsp vanilla
- 3.5 oz cake flour sifted
- 3.5 oz sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsps unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
Mixed Berry Filling
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
- Gently rinse the fresh berries and place them in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the zest and juice of one lemon, sugar, and cornstarch. Pour over the berries and stir gently to combine.
Cake Topping
- In a measuring glass, whisk together the yolks, one tablespoon of sour cream, and the vanilla. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine.
- Add the butter and remaining sour cream. Mix on low to combine, then on medium for 90 seconds. Scrape the bowl down. With the mixer on a medium- low speed, add the egg mixture in two additions, beating well between each. Scrape the bowl down.
- Pour the berries into an 8x8 baking dish (no need to grease). Dollop the cake batter in a ring over the berries. There should be a gap between the edge and the batter, and a gap in the center.
- Place the baking dish on the prepared baking sheet (this is to catch any drips if the berries overflow). Bake for 45- 50 minutes. If it begins to get too brown, tent a piece of foil over the top. The cake is done when the middle is set and springs back when poked. You can insert a skewer to test, just don't go through to the berries.
- Cool on a rack until no longer hot. It is best served slightly warm.
Notes
- This may work with frozen berries. Try thawing them or adding a few minutes to the bake time.
Colleen
Hi there! I’m Colleen, a novice baker with a passion for learning and improving my bakes… and blunders. On Bakes and Blunders, you can find all sorts of tasty recipes that range in difficulty, but most importantly, I’ll try to explain the reason behind important steps. If you know why a recipe works, you can tweak and adapt it to suit your unique tastes, and you’ll be able to reliably produce some very delicious treats. If you love baking and want to expand and grow your skills, or if you are a casual baker and just need some pointers, my blog is right up your alley! Join me on my baking journey and we’ll learn how to make more impressive recipes together.
2 Comments
Rachel
Wow! This is jumping off the screen for me to make and taste! I haven’t had a buckle since I was a kid! What a fun idea! P.S. The Baking Bible is one of my all time favorite baking books! Along with the Flavor Bible!
Colleen
It’s such a great book!