It was in the summer of 2005 that my taste buds would come to learn a lot of new and interesting flavors in the world of coffee and desserts. It was then that I had picked up a part time job at Starbucks as a Barista. It was exciting in a way as I knew nothing in the realm of either essentially. Growing up my parents indulged in espresso and I had tried it but had no real interest in it. As far as desserts were concerned I was limited on my repertoire there as well having only tried boxed cakes and ice cream…that is until crumb cake came into my life.
The fun came in the pairing of both the said liquid gold and sweet treats. Up to this point in my life I had NEVER tried crumb cake before, I know it’s a true travesty and tragedy but lo there was hope for me. I was a forever changed person from the day I had first laid my taste buds on and crunched over each bite of it.
Cue today, 11 years later, a very 38 week pregnant me wanting to relive this wondrous moment. I go to a local Starbucks, I should confess several in the last few weeks, and all of the crumb cakes are the same…sad, soft, no crunch, no love as if the whole recipe has changed. I can’t live with that so…I set out to find the perfect recipe to satisfy this indelible desire for crumb cake. This is almost starting to sound like the story of Rapunzel as her mom craves the neighbors Rapunzel from her garden and sends her husband to steal her some. I came across this recipe from Cooking Classy and per the reviews and comments decided to slightly adapt it to ensure the crunch via the crunch sugar/flour mix for the topping.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did and you might want to share it with your loved ones or you might just want to keep it a secret and keep it to yourself? Whatever the choice may be simply take a time out to truthfully enjoy and indulge in this, my now newfound favorite baked dessert to make. Enjoy this delicately rich, sweet and crunch crumb cake.
Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, cold & cut into small pieces
Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Prepare
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. You can choose to use Baker’s Joy baking spray like I do.
For the crumbs:
2. In a mixing bowl whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in melted butter (use a spatula to scrape out any excess) and stir to combine.
3. Slowly add flour while mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula, and mix until no streaks of flour remain. Set aside to rest while cake batter is prepared.
For the cake:
4. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
5. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
6. Mix in egg and vanilla. In liquid measuring cup used to measure milk, whisk together sour cream with milk.
7. Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend just until combined, then add 1/2 of the milk mixture and mix just until combined. Repeat process once more, then end by mixing in last 1/3 of the flour mixture until nearly combined. Scape down sides and bottom of bowl using a rubber spatula and fold batter to fully incorporate.
8. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
9. Break crumb mixture into pea size crumbs and drop evenly over batter. I used a potato masher to accomplish this.
10. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out free of batter and cake doesn’t sink when touched in center, about 32 – 35 minutes.
11. Cool in cake pan 10 minutes then enjoy this most delicious cake with a glass of milk or coffee for breakfast or for dessert! I’d even go as far as recommending a small dose all day. Haha!
- Crumbs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, cold & cut into small pieces
- Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. You can choose to use Baker's Joy baking spray like I do.
- 2. In a mixing bowl whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in melted butter (use a spatula to scrape out any excess) and stir to combine.
- 3. Slowly add flour while mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula, and mix until no streaks of flour remain. Set aside to rest while cake batter is prepared.
- 4. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
- 5. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
- 6. Mix in egg and vanilla. In liquid measuring cup used to measure milk, whisk together sour cream with milk.
- 7. Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend just until combined, then add 1/2 of the milk mixture and mix just until combined. Repeat process once more, then end by mixing in last 1/3 of the flour mixture until nearly combined. Scape down sides and bottom of bowl using a rubber spatula and fold batter to fully incorporate.
- 8. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- 9. Break crumb mixture into pea size crumbs and drop evenly over batter. I used a potato masher to accomplish this.
- 10. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out free of batter and cake doesn't sink when touched in center, about 32 - 35 minutes.
- 11. Cool in cake pan 10 minutes then enjoy this most delicious cake with a glass of milk or coffee for breakfast or for dessert! I'd even go as far as recommending a small dose all day. Haha!
