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This simple bakery-style crumb cake recipe is topped with a deliciously buttery cinnamon sugar crumble that takes it to another level!
True NY Style!
Who wouldn’t want to eat cake for breakfast?!
We have always loved Coffee Cake and fell in love with New York style crumb cake when we had it years ago.
Today, we are sharing our favorite recipe for this crumb cake and it’s so soft and delicious, we know you will love it too!
Why we love it:
- Easy. This bakery-style crumb cake has a quick 10 minutes prep time, the hardest part is waiting to pull it from the oven!
- Practically a dessert. It’s a perfect balance between breakfast and dessert, making it a versatile treat.
- Sit back and sip away! The moist, bakery-style cake is incredibly delicious and pairs perfectly with a warm beverage like our favorite Hot Chocolate.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 35 minutes
Crumb Topping
- ⅓ cup 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
- ½ cup butter – melted
- 1¾ cups cake flour
Cake
- 1¼ cups cake flour – use all-purpose flour or make cake flour by adding 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to a 1-cup measuring cup. Fill it the rest of the way up with all-purpose flour. Sift them together and it’s ready to use in a recipe
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, softened but still cool – How to Soften Butter Quickly
- 1 whole egg – room temperature
- 1 egg yolk – How to Separate Egg Whites from yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup buttermilk – How to Make Buttermilk
- powdered sugar for dusting
How to Make Crumb Cake
- PREP. Preheat 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.
- TOPPING. In a medium bowl, whisk ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 1¾ cups flour. Pour ½ cup melted butter over the mixture and mix thoroughly. Mixture will be thick and doughy. Set aside.
- BATTER. With a hand or stand mixer, combine the 1¼ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- With the mixer on low, add 6 tablespoons butter one piece at a time. Mix until flour mixture resembles moist crumbs with no visible butter chunks remaining, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add 1 egg, 1 yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ⅓ cup buttermilk. Beat at medium for 1-2 minutes until the batter becomes light and fluffy, scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
- ASSEMBLE. 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 35-40 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.
Complete the Meal
- SIDE DISHES: Bacon, Frittata, Yogurt Parfait, Scrambled Eggs
- DRINKS: Hot Chocolate Recipe, Caramel Apple Cider, Apple Cider, Wassail
- More breakfast cakes: Coffee Cake, Cinnamon Roll Cake, Sour Cream Coffee Cake
More collections: Easy Breakfast Ideas, Brunch Ideas, Breakfast for Dinner
Crumb Cake
This crumb cake is a moist, delicious bakery-style cake topped with loads of cinnamon sugar crumble and dusted with powdered sugar.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ⅓ cup 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 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 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 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 3/4 cup flour.
- Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the mixture and mix thoroughly. Mixture will be thick and doughy. Set aside.
Cake
- With a hand or stand mixer, combine the 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- With the mixer on low, add 6 tablespoons butter one piece at a time. Mix until flour mixture resembles moist crumbs with no visible butter chunks remaining, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add 1 egg, 1 yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and1/3 cup buttermilk. Beat at medium for 1-2 minutes until the batter becomes light and fluffy, scrape 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 35-40 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.
Video
Notes
Make sure to use Cake Flour and NOT all-purpose flour. With all-purpose flour, you’ll end up with a dry, tough cake. Cake flour ensures the batter is light, fluffy and moist.
STORE the cake in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or 4-5 days in the fridge.
FREEZE. Wrap the slices in plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Why isn’t my crumb topping crumbly?
- Do not over-mix the topping or you might end up with a pasty texture instead of crumbs. After adding the crumb topping, gently press it down to help it stick together nicely. If the topping is browning before the cake layer is done, place a piece of tented tin foil over the top.
Can I make a larger cake?
- Double the recipe, and bake in a 9x 13-inch pan. Increase the bake time to 40 to 45 minutes.
Can I Use a metal pan?
- Metal pans will heat up more quickly than glass or ceramic dishes. To use a metal pan, increase the oven temp by 25° and subtract about 10 minutes from the baking time.
Add Mix ins?
- Classic New York-style crumb cake does not contain nuts, swirls, or other mix-ins, but don’t let that stop you. Add cinnamon chips, mini chocolate chips, caramel drizzle, or blueberries.
How to store crumb cake?
- Store the crumb cake recipe in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or 4-5 days in the fridge.
How to Freeze?
- Wrap the best crumb cake slices in plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months
You can’t beat that think delicious crumb topping. That’s always my kids’ favorite part of coffee cakes and this cake has an ample amount.
Outstanding!
Best tasting coffee cake I’ve made in a long time & I think the buttermilk is a big reason why it’s so good.
I don’t think the typical buttermilk substitutes will give you the same great result.
For me, it only needs half the “Crumb Topping”.
Thank you, Lil, for this one & everything else you share online with us.
~a
Aw, thank you for your sweet words! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the cake. Thanks for sharing!
I like this crumb cake which taste just like coffee cake. A nice treat for breakfast or brunch.
I would love to try to make this ..
but i wanted to make sure on the crumb topping is it 12 cups of butter ???
Probably not. I am guessing it is 1/2 cup, but this recipe is from Erin at http://www.delightfulemade.com/, if you want to double check. Good eye!
The butter is 1/2 cup. This exact recipe is originally from “Cook’s illustrated cookbook”, which lists the butter as 8 tablespoons (aka 1/2 cup). i have that cookbook and have made it many times for brunches, and it is, without a doubt, the best ny crumb cake i have ever baked or eaten!!…..just like old fashioned crumb buns! i highly recommend the cook’s illustrated cookbook, too!……….many foolproof recipes in there. they test recipes over and over and come up with real winners.
Do I triple the recipe if I want to make 3 coffee cakes?
Yep 🙂 Sure hope you like them!
Great recipe! Made some adjustments because we didn’t have cake flour or buttermilk, so used AP Flour and made our own buttermilk with A.C. vinegar. Also adjusted the liquids and leaveners up to accomodate the texture difference in the flours. Came out beautifully moist and yummy…we couldn’t stop eating it.
That’s great!! Love how you compromised! Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
What are the measurements for the sugars and the buttermilk? All I see is a box in front of a c(cup).
Love, love, love crumb cake from NY. I can’t wait to try this recipe. I wonder if I could throw in some mini chocolate chips to the crumb mixture?
I LOVE crumb cake too!! You can definitely add mini chips if you want a hint of chocolate. 😉
Oh my…I can’t wait to try this. I love crumb cake! Thanks for the recipe!!
I’m right there with you. Crumb Cake is the best!!
Krystyn, this looks perfect! I wish I could sink my teeth into a slice right now — can’t wait to make it!