A quick baking lesson for you all. A “buckle dessert” is a dish that consists of fruit and cake baked together, with a streusel topping. I know this because I have been desperately been trying to decide if this is a buckle or a cobbler since I had the idea to make it. I called ALL my culinary MVPs for consult, and there was an overwhelming consensus that even though she lacks a streusel topping, this girl is a BUCKLE.
Honestly, gender is just a construct anyways…
You all know the Any Fruit Crisp, and of course you know Mom’s Cornbread. I recently wondered what would happen if I combined the two, and Berry Cornbread Buckle was born.
Sweet, juicy berries baked with a layer of my favorite cornbread make this dish almost too good to be true. Add a scoop of ice cream on top, and witness as your own knees buckle from this buckle!
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Berry Cornbread Buckle
What You’ll Need
Topping:
- 1 cup flour*
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
Filling:
- Zest of 1 lemon (or orange or lime)
- Juice of 1 lemon (or orange or lime)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on how naturally sweet your fruit is
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons flour*
Berries: You need enough berries to fill your baking dish, so just eyeball it. This recipe is very laid back in terms of how much fruit and what kind of baking dish you use. Frozen fruit works perfectly here, just defrost fruit before starting the recipe.
Some berry good combinations:
- Mixed berries
- Blueberry and raspberry
- All Strawberry
- All Blueberry
- Peach and any berry
What You’ll Do
- Preheat oven to 400º.
- Mix all the topping ingredients together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grab your berries. If using strawberries, remove stems and chop into quarters. Same idea with peaches. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries remain whole.
- Combine the berries and fruit with the lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ to ½ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Once coated, place fruit into your buttered baking dish. Any baking dish will work!
- Pour your cornbread batter on top of your berry mixture in your baking dish. Spread the batter around the dish, leaving some fruit exposed because we love to see it pop through when your buckle is fully baked.
- Bake your buckle at 400º for about 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your baking dish. As always, test the center of the buckle to make sure the cornbread is baked enough. It will remain a bit wet with the juice of the berries, but should still be baked through before removing from oven.
- Once it’s done, serve it up with a scoop of ice cream fresh out of the oven!
*Gluten free All-Purpose 1:1 flour can be used.
Make It Step By Step With Me:
1. Grab a big bowl.
2. Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
3. Add ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 egg and 1 cup milk. And your wooden spoon.
4. Mix all ingredients together. Let sit for 20 minutes.
5. Grab your berries.
6. Toss them into your vessel to get a good idea of how many you will need. Save the extra for snacking.
7. Place whole berries in a large bowl.
8. If you are using strawberries, remove stems and cut into quarters.
9. Add cut strawberries to bowl with the rest of your berries.
10. Combine the berries with the lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ to ½ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of flour.
11. Stir to coat berries.
12. Grab butter and your baking dish. Truly any baking dish will do. You do not need a cast iron skillet.
13. Butter your baking dish.
14. Place your berries into your buttered baking dish.
15. Pour your cornbread batter on top of your berry mixture in your baking dish. Spread the batter around the dish, leaving some berries exposed because we love to see them pop through when your buckle is fully baked.
Bake your buckle at 400º for about 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your baking dish. As always, test the center of the buckle to make sure the cornbread is baked enough. It will remain a bit wet with the juice of the berries, but should still be baked through before removing from oven.
16. There she is!!!
17. Serve her up with a scoop of ice cream fresh out of the oven!
18. BUCKLE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
