Old Fashioned New York Style Crumb Cake for the Win!

Do you like a lot of “crumb” on your crumb cake? If you answered “Doesn’t everyone?”, you are going to love this New York Style Crumb Cake recipe.

Just look at that delicious streusel layer on top. sigh!

And the moist rich cake on the bottom. sigh!

I am not going to lie to you. There is nothing “good” about this cake. It has plain old all purpose flour and white and brown sugars and lots and lots of butter (almost a pound!). It is rich and sweet, happy feel good, scrumptious unapologetic comfort food.

Someday I may try healthifying it, but for now I give it to you in all of its original glory.

I clipped the recipe from the newspaper years ago and have been looking for an excuse to make it. My BFF since 8th grade stopping by for breakfast was the perfect occasion.

The only trick that I learned the hard way was with the crumble topping. You need to mash it together in big handfuls to press all of the goodness together. Then break those big “balls” into smaller bits on top of the cake. Otherwise the topping will end up somewhat of a loose powdery mess, which is NOT what you want.

I’d say it was a success since she asked for a second piece plus I forced a to-go box on her when she left. M and J liked it too, but I had to be careful with J to make sure we all called it CRUMB cake and not COFFEE cake to avoid the “I don’t like coffee” snub.

New York Style Crumb Cake

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Ingredients

 

CRUMB TOPPING

• 1 cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks (melted))

CAKE

• 3/4 cups unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoons salt

OPTIONAL

• powdered sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13″ baking pan with non stick baking spray (or coat lightly with oil).
• In a medium bowl, combine all crumb topping ingredients EXCEPT butter with a fork. Add melted butter and stir until crumbles form. Press the crumbs together in your hands to form large crumbs, otherwise the topping will end up powdery instead of crumbly. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with a mixer at medium high for 4-5 minutes. Don’t skimp on time, you want this to be light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each one. Beat in vanilla and sour cream, scraping down sides as needed until combined.
• Sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix on low until everything is just combined (do not over mix at this stage or your cake will be tough).
• Spread cake batter evenly in the prepared pan.
• Break down the large clumps of crumb topping into smaller nuggets as you sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cake batter.
• Bake for 30 -35 minutes until toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean and the topping looks slightly crisp. Let cool on wire rack for 15-20 minutes top with sifted powdered sugar as desired and cut into slices.

Until next time, happy eating.
~Audrey