Apple buckle is a heavenly treat you’ll want to try this fall. Like many apple desserts, you can use your favorite variety for this forgiving recipe and it will only leave you wanting more. Read on and learn how to make this amazing buckle cake!

Try this old-fashioned buckle cake for this year’s apple harvest!

🥮 What is this?

Buckle desserts are old-fashioned deep-dish cakes made with fruit or berries. As the batter bakes, it rises and surrounds the fruit (or berries). Buckle cakes are baked as a single layer and usually served warm with a variety of toppings. 

They have a sweet and moist signature taste and a buckled (indented) appearance, which is where the name comes from.  Finally, buckle recipes are crowned with a streusel topping, which makes them even more irresistible!

Our blueberry buckle recipe is one of the first ones we made and it was love at first bite. Now, let me show you how to make an apple buckle!

📋 What’s in it?

This easy apple recipe is made with a simple cake batter, apples, and a sweet crumb topping for a streusel.

We like Granny Smith apples for this dessert but you can use your favorite variety.

🔪 How to make it

Start the recipe by taking a quick inventory of your pantry.

Kitchen Equipment You Need for this Recipe

1. A couple of mixing bowls
2. A handheld mixer.
3. A rubber spatula spatula
4. Food processor.
5. 10-inch springform pan

Preheat the oven to 350° and throw on your kitchen apron!

I always start this buckle recipe by making the crumb topping first (complete instructions in the recipe card below.) This is where you get to use your food processor and pulse the streusel ingredients until they are crumby. Set the mixture aside and get started with the apple buckle batter.

1. Use a whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt.
2. In another mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric hand mixer.
3. and 4. Add the sugar and honey to the butter.

1. Beat in the lemon zest, eggs, and vanilla, until smooth.
2. Fold in the dry ingredients, and half and half, alternating in two batches.
3.  ane 4. Fold in the apples, using a spatula to make sure you scrape the bowl for everything stuck to the inside.

1. Scrape the batter into a the prepared springform pan and smooth it off with anoffset spatula.
   1. Pro Baking Tip: Scott does a great job of showing you how to grease and flour a cake pan. This is a game-changer for baking cakes and bread!
2. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top of the batter.
   1. Note: I may or may not taste the crumble at this point, for quality control purposes, of course. (At least that’s my story!)

You’ll bake the apple buckle for about an hour and 15 minutes until you get a clean toothpick test. The top should be a sweet, golden brown. Allow it to rest in the springform pan for an hour, before releasing it. This is the hardest part of the recipe for me!

Substitutions and Variations

Instead of honey, make this apple buckle recipe using pure maple syrup. This will give the buckle a slightly more earthy flavor but it’s delicious and still complements the apples.

Growing up, it was common for us to drizzle some golden amber maple syrup over a slice of apple pie. We made they syrup, boiled from the sap that our sugar bush produced. (Some of my best memories ever!)

To Use Maple Syrup Instead of Honey

First and absolutely foremost, be sure you are using pure maple syrup. When it came to using maple syrup in baking, my mom always used the dark stuff (which is what most grocery stores carry.)

Here’s how you’ll want to use maple syrup instead of honey for this apple buckle.

1:1 Substitution – You can replace the honey with an equal amount of maple syrup (1/4 cup in this case).

Reduce Liquid – Maple syrup is a bit thinner than honey, so to compensate for the extra moisture, you might want to reduce the half-and-half by a tablespoon or two. This will help maintain the right consistency in the batter.

💭 Common questions

What can I use for a topping?

This apple buckle doesn’t need a topping, but we would never judge you for adding any of the following!

•  A scoop of ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Sweetened sour cream

What can I use to make a buckle dessert?

The sky is pretty much the limit when deciding what to add to a buckle recipe. Think of what you would put into a crisp, and the main ingredient is virtually interchangeable. Things like:

• Blueberries
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Raspberries
• Rhubarb
• Blackberries

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can make this apple buckle up to two days before you want to serve it. Be sure to wrap it air-tight in plastic kitchen wrap and allow it to come back to room temperature before eating.

Can I freeze this?

You can freeze this apple buckle for up to three months, before serving. Use your favorite kitchen wrap and be sure to get all the air out before freezing. Double wrap it for better preservation. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. You can reheat it in the oven at 300° for 15 minutes and you’ll be good to go!

Similar recipes

• Open-Face Apple Pie
• Apple Turnovers using Crescent Rolls
• Oatmeal Bars with Apple Butter Filling
• Cinnamon Apple Pear Bread Pudding Recipe by Platter Talk

I hope you try this old-fashioned apple buckle. It’s sure to put a smile on your face and will make your kitchen smell amazing. Please be sure to drop us a comment below and let us know how you like this recipe. That’s how we know you’re loving what we’re cooking!

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More Easy Apple Recipes

• Open-Face Apple Pie
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