This complimentary recipe is from Color Me Vegan.

In my first cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking, I included cobblers, crisps, and crumbles and thought it was time to add a “buckle” to the list of these fairly similar desserts. The main difference has to do with the topping variations (biscuit crust in the case of cobblers, crumb/nut/oatmeal topping for crumbles and crisps). Soy-free (depending on milk and yogurt used).

Ingredients

3/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1/4 cup nondairy butter, such as Earth Balance
1 6-ounce container nondairy yogurt (plain, vanilla, or even blueberry)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nondairy milk (almond, soy, rice, hemp, hazelnut, or oat)
1/4 cup orange, apple, or pineapple juice
2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and picked through
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup nondairy butter, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil one 8×8-inch pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the 3/4 cup sugar, nondairy butter, and yogurt. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the sugar/butter mixture, along with the milk and juice. Stir to combine, and fold in the blueberries. Pour into the prepared pan. (It’s okay if the batter is thick.)

To make the streusel topping, combine the brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, cinnamon, and butter. Distribute evenly over the cake batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Food Lore: The “buckle,” which is usually made with blueberries, is similar to a crumble in that it has a streusel topping, but the main layer is actually a cake with the berries baked right into it, as opposed to a loose berry/sugar combination characteristic of the crumble. It may remind you of what is traditionally called a “coffee cake.” The “buckle” is called such because as it bakes, it rises unevenly or “buckles,” caused by the weight of the streusel on top.