n. — Maritimes, esp. Nova Scotia, Food
a cake full of blueberries with a crumbly topping.
Type: 5. Frequency — The origin of blueberry buckle is unknown, but the term is today predominantly used in Nova Scotia (see Chart 1) with limited currency in Prince Edward Island. The earlier quotations (1935, 1961) suggest, however, that the term was once more widely used throughout Canada. It appears to be most frequent in Canada, although the term is used elsewhere as well (see Chart 2). As a regional dish, however, the term has a Canadian dimension.
See also COD-2, s.v. "blueberry buckle", which is marked "Cdn (Maritimes)", and DARE, s.v. "buckle" (n.).
See also: blueberry grunt
- A 'buckle' can also be made with peaches, nectarines, raspberries and any other fruit.
- 1935  Blueberry Buckle One-fourth cup shortening, one-half cup sugar, one egg, one cup flour, one and one-half teaspoon baking powder, [...]
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- 1961  In July, when Alaskan homemakers are busy picking blueberries, they may use the left-over pancake batter for a quick afternoon snack of blueberry muffins. They may also try Blueberry Buckle as a treat for the neighbor ladies who drop in for a visit.
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- 1984  But, heck, who's going to quarrel with a lady willing to share her recipes for lobster pie and blueberry buckle?
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- 1989  Dear Edith Adams: Last week, the food pages said many readers submitted recipes for blueberry buckle to a recent contest. I've never heard of it and can't find it in any of my cookbooks.
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- 1996  There's also Ms. Claman's personal favorite, something called blueberry buckle from the Custer Mansion in Custer, S.D. It's a rich cake full of blueberries with a crumb topping.
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- 2006  Oven-cooked old-time favourites make the most of B.C.'s blueberry bounty. Blueberry Buckle coffee-cake-style dessert is dappled with fresh blueberries and sprinkled with a crispy streusel topping.
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- 2008  Served warm from the oven, this coffee-cake-style dessert studded with fresh blueberries and sprinkled with a crispy streusel topping is just divine.
Blueberry Buckle
Makes 9 servings
Topping
1/4 cup (50 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 mL) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, at room temperature
Batter
3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 mL) grated orange zest
1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) buttermilk (1.5 per cent M.F.)
2 cups (500 mL) fresh blueberries
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- 2010  I was starting out making a blueberry grunt, but this recipe is more like a buckle, meaning it's made from a cake batter and finished with a sugar topping.
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Images:
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Chart 1: Regional Domain Search, 4 Nov. 2013 
Chart 2: Internet Domain Search, 4 Nov. 2013