Strawberry Buckle

I don't think I knew what a "buckle" was until I started a food blog 8 years ago.

I am pretty sure a "buckle" is a cake that falls or "buckles" around the fruit when baking (why not call it a "slump"?).

This is delicious and easy, whatever it is called.

It's beautiful strawberry season right now and I have so many cakes to bake!

Buckle your seatbelts!

Strawberry Buckle (adapted from Serious Eats):

for the cake:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup milk
2 cups diced strawberries

for the topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease baking pan (I used an 8x8 Pyrex square pan). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and extracts and beat to combine. Beat in 1/2 dry ingredients, followed by milk, followed by remaining dry ingredients. Stir in strawberries. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, ginger, and salt and whisk to combine. Add cold butter and milk and cut into flour mixture until butter is incorporated, it's best to use your hands. Mixture should have the texture of wet sand and hold together when pressed. Form mixture into small crumbs and scatter over top of buckle.
I added some extra slices of strawberries on top for a pretty look...............fancy.

Bake the buckle until golden on top and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

So good!