Blueberry Mango Buckle is a super soft cake with a delicious crumb topping. This easy cake recipe is bursting with juicy blueberries, mangoes, and a fresh touch of lemon. Perfect for a coffee break any day of the week!
If you love easy fruit cakes, our Strawberry Buckle uses the same base batter with a different fruit - and our Peach Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake is another summer fruit bake worth having in regular rotation.
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If you are searching for a mango cake recipe that is actually easy - no frosting, no layers, no fuss - this buckle is the answer. A buckle is an old-fashioned American fruit cake where the fruit gets folded directly into a simple batter, topped with crumble, and baked in one pan. As it bakes, the topping sinks slightly into the cake and creates this wonderful mix of tender crumb and crispy streusel in every bite.
I first made this mango cake back in July 2012 when our mango tree was producing faster than we could keep up. Mangoes off the ground twice a day - I was canning, baking, and giving bags away to neighbors just to stay ahead. Adding blueberries to the mix was a happy accident that turned out to be one of the best flavor combinations I have ever tried. The lemon zest in the batter pulls everything together.
This is the kind of easy mango cake recipe that works for breakfast, as an afternoon snack with coffee, or as a relaxed summer dessert. It comes together in one bowl, bakes in one pan, and has never once let me down.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- One bowl batter with simple pantry ingredients
- Fresh blueberries and mango give it a bright, summery flavor in every bite
- The buttery crumb topping adds texture without any extra effort
- Works as breakfast cake, afternoon snack, or easy dessert
- Easily adapted with whatever fruit you have on hand
Ingredient Notes
Cake Batter
- Butter - Softened to room temperature. It creams with the sugar to give the cake its light, fluffy base.
- Sugar - Plain granulated sugar for sweetness and structure.
- Egg - One large egg. It binds the batter and adds richness.
- Coconut milk (or milk of choice) - The original recipe uses coconut milk, which adds a very subtle tropical note that pairs beautifully with the mango. Regular whole milk or any non-dairy milk works just as well.
- Lemon zest - From one lemon. Do not skip this - the zest brightens the whole cake and keeps the fruit flavors from tasting flat.
- Flour - All-purpose flour. Spoon into your measuring cup and level off rather than scooping directly.
- Baking powder - The leavener that gives the cake its rise. Make sure yours is fresh.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness. Do not skip it.
- Blueberries - Fresh blueberries work best. Toss them with a spoonful of flour before folding in so they stay distributed throughout the batter rather than sinking to the bottom. Frozen blueberries also work - no need to thaw, but add 5 to 10 extra minutes of baking time.
- Mango - Peeled and diced into roughly half-inch pieces. Use ripe mango for the sweetest flavor. Frozen mango (thawed and drained) works too.
Crumble Topping
- Butter - Softened butter gets worked into the sugar and flour to form the crumble. It should look like coarse, sandy clumps - not fully smooth.
- Sugar - Plain granulated sugar gives the topping its sweet crunch as it bakes.
- Flour - A small amount that holds the crumble together in clusters.
- Cinnamon - Adds warmth to the topping. You can increase it slightly if you want a more pronounced cinnamon flavor.
- Nutmeg - Just a pinch, but it adds a subtle depth to the topping that makes a difference.
Some tips on the blueberries for this post:
- We prefer fresh blueberries for this cake. Simply tossing them with a spoonful of flour will make sure they don't all sink to the bottom of the cake while baking.
- If you choose to use frozen berries, it isn't necessary to defrost them but you have to add on 5-10 minutes of baking time. Frozen blueberries will give the cake a purple hue, but the flavor will be still perfect.
- You could sub out whatever fruit you like. Here is the strawberry version of this delicious cake.
This cake is perfect as written but this recipe also makes amazing blueberry buckle muffins! Just divide the batter between your muffin cups and top with the streusel. Bake about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
How to Make Blueberry Mango Buckle
Step 1: Prep the Pan and Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square or round baking pan. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Crumble Topping
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Work it together with a fork or your fingers until it forms coarse, sandy clumps. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the Cake Batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and milk and mix well. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined - do not overmix. Stir in the lemon zest.
Toss the blueberries with a spoonful of flour, then gently fold the blueberries and diced mango into the batter by hand.
Step 4: Bake
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the surface. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing. It is wonderful slightly warm.
Expert Tips
- This batter also makes great muffins. Divide the batter between a lined muffin tin, top with the streusel, and bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour. Stir just until combined - a few streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing makes the crumb dense and chewy.
- Toss the blueberries in flour before folding them in. This simple step keeps them suspended in the batter rather than sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Keep the crumble clumpy, not sandy. Coarse clumps of topping give you better texture than a finely rubbed mixture. Stop working it while there are still visible pieces of butter.
- The two-temperature bake is intentional. Starting at 350°F sets the structure, and dropping to 325°F lets the center cook through without overbrowning the topping.
FAQ'S
A buckle is an old-fashioned American fruit cake where the fruit is folded directly into a simple batter and the whole thing is topped with a crumble or streusel. As it bakes, the topping sinks slightly into the cake - it 'buckles' - which is where the name comes from. The result is a soft, tender cake with crispy pockets of topping throughout.
Yes. No need to thaw them first - add them straight from frozen. You will need to add 5 to 10 extra minutes of baking time. Keep in mind that frozen blueberries will give the batter a purple hue, but the flavor is still delicious.
Yes. Let the cake cool completely, then wrap it tightly or place in a sealed container. It keeps in the freezer for up to 2 months. To freeze individual slices, wrap each one separately and thaw on the counter when ready to eat. The crumble topping softens slightly after freezing but the flavor is still great.
Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. It keeps at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. A quick 15 seconds in the microwave brings it right back.
Yes - this is genuinely one of the easiest mango cake recipes out there. The batter comes together in one bowl with no mixer required, and the crumble topping takes about two minutes. If you have ripe mangoes and a box of pantry staples, you can have
Mangoes are so versatile. Beyond this buckle, they are great in smoothies, salsas, salads, and quick breads. If you want to stay in dessert territory, mangoes pair well with coconut, lime, and vanilla. This buckle batter also works with mango alone - skip the blueberries and double the mango for a pure mango cake version.
My husband saw my cake this weekend and said, "Let me guess…a mango cake?" What's a girl to do but bake with them every day, right?;)
I'm getting carpal tunnel not from typing but from mango work. Mangoes can be tricky to clean.;) They slip and slide when you are trying to get the rest of the fruit next to the pit.
This blueberry mango buckle is a summer favorite of ours. We bake it every summer with different fruits. The first time I baked it was a blueberry buckle.
Soon after we baked a strawberries buckle. This summer I thought about blueberries and mangoes. I'm glad I did because the combination is divine.
My dad was stopping by and there wasn't any mango cake left so I put together a couple of mango quick breads for him. The one on the left was made with olive oil and apple sauce. The one on the right I made with buttermilk in the batter. My dad said the olive oil version was fantastic.
(original photos from 2012 below).
A wonderful summer cake that you can make with your favorite stone fruit or berries. The cake is moist and delicious. Adjust the spice in the topping to your taste. I even add a little cinnamon to the batter. It's a perfect breakfast or snack cake. For detailed photos of the how to make it, check out my strawberry buckle post.
Some other cake recipes to enjoy:
- Lemon Bundt Cake with Lemon Curd Filling
- Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze
- Cranberry Bundt Cake
- Old-Fashioned Donut Bundt Cake
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Blueberry Mango Buckle
Ingredients
- Cake Ingredients
- ¼ cup of butter softened
- ¾ cup of sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup of coconut milk or regular milk or your favorite non-dairy milk
- zest of lemon
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cups of blueberries fresh or frozen
- 1 cup diced mangoes
- Crumble Topping
- ⅓ cup of butter softened
- ½ cup of sugar
- ⅓ cup of flour
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 9 inch square or round pan. In a small bowl, add the flour, zest, baking powder and salt and whisk the ingredients.
- Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the milk and egg; mix well. Add the flour, lemon zest, baking powder, salt; mix well.
- Fold the berries and mangoes in gently by hand.
- Spread cake batter in cake pan, sprinkle topping over batter and bake for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 325F and bake about another 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
My son and his wife would be in heaven with a mango tree! This recipe sounds so yummy!
I would love to have a mango tree in my yard….absolutely love them! Your buckle looks like a great way to use them…and that mango jam and chutney…yum! Enjoy your day!
Lucky you having a productive mango tree in your garden! The mango buckle looks mouthwatering with streusel topping.