New York Crumb Cake

New York Crumb Cake Ingredients

Crumb Topping

• ⅓ cup sugar – granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon – or adjust the flavor and add nutmeg, or use Pumpkin Pie Spice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt – omit if using salted butter
• ½ cup butter, melted – We use unsalted butter, but salted butter can be used.
• 1¾ cups cake flour

Cake

• 1¼ cups cake flour – or make a cake flour substitute: for every cup needed, measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the mixture together.
• ½ cup sugar – granulated
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, softened but still cool – see How to Soften Butter Quickly
• 1 whole egg – room temperature
• 1 egg yolk – see How to Separate Egg Whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup buttermilk – see How to Make Buttermilk
• powdered sugar for dusting

How to Make New York Crumb Cake

1. PREP. Preheat the oven to 325°F and adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. TOPPING. In a medium bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Pour melted butter over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. The mixture will be thick and doughy. Set aside.
3. BATTER. With a hand or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
   • With the mixer on low, add 6 tablespoons of butter one piece at a time. Mix until flour mixture resembles moist crumbs with no visible butter chunks remaining, about 1-2 minutes.
   • Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk. Beat at medium for 1-2 minutes until the batter becomes light and fluffy, scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
4. ASSEMBLE. Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the batter with an even crumb layer.
5. BAKE the cake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean and crumb-free. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
   • Remove the cake from the pan by lifting it out by the edges of the parchment paper and dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

• We highly suggest using cake flour as it yields a light, airy, and tender crumb.
• Use nutmeg or Pumpkin Pie Spice in the crumb topping for an easy flavor twist.
• Buttermilk provides tenderness and a tangy flavor. If you don’t have any, you can Make Buttermilk using milk and vinegar.
• Do not over-mix the crumb topping, or you might end up with a pasty texture instead of crumbs. 
• Double the recipe, and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Increase the bake time to 40 to 45 minutes.

4.89 from 18 votes

New York Crumb Cake Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

This New York Crumb Cake has a soft, buttery cake base and a thick cinnamon crumb topping for an easy bakery style breakfast or dessert.

Servings: 9

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

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Equipment

• 8×8 baking dish
• electric hand mixer
• wire cooling rack

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Crumb Topping

• ▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup butter, melted
• ▢ 1¾ cup cake flour

Cake

• ▢ 1¼ cup cake flour
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, softened but cool
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 egg yolk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅓ cup buttermilk
• ▢ powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 325°F and adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position. Line an 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Crumb Topping

• In a medium bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and flour.
• Pour ½ cup melted butter over the mixture and mix thoroughly. The mixture will be thick and doughy. Set aside.

Cake

• With a hand or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
• With the mixer on low, add 6 tablespoons of butter, one piece at a time. Mix until the flour mixture resembles moist crumbs with no visible butter chunks remaining, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 1 egg, 1 yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk. Beat at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until the batter becomes light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
• Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Top the batter with an even layer of pea-sized crumble topping pieces.
• Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean and crumb-free. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the pan by lifting it out of the pan by the edges of the parchment paper and dust it with powdered sugar.

Notes

Recipe tips.

• We highly suggest using cake flour as it yields a light, airy, and tender crumb.
• Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much flour.
• Use nutmeg or Pumpkin Pie Spice in the crumb topping for an easy flavor twist.
• Buttermilk provides tenderness and a tangy flavor. If you don’t have any, you can Make Buttermilk using milk and vinegar.
• The butter for the cake should be soft enough to mix but not overly warm or greasy.
• Break the topping into pea-sized pieces before adding it to the cake. This helps create an even layer of crumbs.
• Double the recipe, and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Increase the bake time to 40 to 45 minutes.

Store. Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. If refrigerated, let individual slices come to room temperature or warm them briefly before serving. 

Make ahead of time. Bake the cake the day before, allow it to cool completely, and store it covered at room temperature. Wait to dust it with powdered sugar until just before serving for the prettiest finish. 

Freeze. Allow the cake to cool completely, then cut it into individual slices. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 431kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 305mg, Potassium: 80mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 620IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg

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This recipe was originally published August 2015.

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen