If you're looking for a great crumb cake (and who isn't) you've come to the right place. This New York Style Crumb Cake has an abundance of easy to make crumbs on top of a tender cake that is just right with coffee or tea or just as a snack. Oh, did I tell you how easy it is to make.
While New Yorker's like to take credit for this best of all crumb cakes, it actually made its way over from Germany where it was called “streuselkuchen,” where it is one of the most popular coffee cakes.
A couple of more great crumb topped coffee cakes include: Apricot Crumb Coffee Cake with it's almond paste crumbs, Cuccidati Coffee Cake borrowing it's filling from the Cuccidati Cookies from Italy.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- One of the things I found when researching this recipe was making the crumbs didn't seem easy . Here you'll find a really easy way to make them and you don't even have to clean the mixing bowl to make the cake.
- The cake can be made in a matter of minutes after assembling the ingredients.
- This is a really straight forward recipe that will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time.....with a great reward.
Recipe Ingredients
Crumb Ingredients
CLOCKWISE: Cake flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, butter.
MIDDLE: Cinnamon
Cake Ingredients
COUNTER CLOCKWISE: Cake flour, milk, baking powder, salt, vanilla, granulated sugar, butter.
MIDDLE: Eggs
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
Step by Step Instructions
Crumbs
Step 1. Place the brown and granulated sugars in a mixing bowl.
Step 2. Cream them until very light.
Step 3. Combine the flour, cinnamon and salt then add them to the creamed mixture.
Step 4. Beat on medium just until large crumbs form. Scrape the sides and the bottom for unincorporated flour. Mix briefly. Do not over mix or you will end up with a really thick cohesive mixture.
Step 5. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and refrigerated while making the cake.
Cake
Step 1. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2. Place the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl.
Step 3. Without cleaning the bowl in which the crumbs were made, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
Step 4. Beat in eggs one at a time and then the vanilla.
Step 5. The batter may curdle after the second egg and vanilla have been added. This will be taken care of in the next step.
Step 6. Add one third of the flour mixture and beat on low to mix well. Scrape down.
Step 7. Add half of the buttermilk, beating to mix.
Step 8. Add the next third of flour, followed by the buttermilk and the last of the flour. Mix well.
Step 9. Spread the batter evenly in the 9x13" pan.
Step 10. Cover the batter with the crumbs.
Step 11. Cool the baked cake before releasing.
Recipe FAQ's
Cake flour has a low protein count and is used for tender cakes. All-purpose flour may be used but the cake will have a slightly different texture.
Some people say there is but I don't. It's basically a matter of what crumbs are on top of the cake. They mainly have differences in the amount of butter and flour as well as cinnamon.
Coming from Germany, the original cake was a yeast dough covered with crumbs.
Expert Tips
- Cake flour will make the best, most tender cake. Since there is 5 ½ cups between the crumbs and the cake, it take's almost a whole box of cake flour.
- Be sure to alternate the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour.
- The batter will, most likely, curdle after the last egg has been added. See my post on How to Avoid Curdled Cake Batter.
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New York Style Crumb Cake
Equipment
- 1 9x13 in cake pan
Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (225 grams, 8 ounces or 2 sticks)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (130 grams or 4.5 ounces)
- ⅔ cup packed dark-brown sugar (130 grams or 4.5 ounces)
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cake flour (not self rising) (375 grams or 13.5ounces)
Cake:
- 2 ½ cups cake flour (not self rising) (310 grams or 10.75 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams or 7 ounces)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (170 grams, 6 ounces or 1 ½ sticks)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup low-fat buttermilk
- Powdered sugar for dusting as needed
Instructions
Crumb Topping:
- Combine the butter and both sugars in a mixer. Cream until very light. Combine the cinnamon, salt and flour; add all at once and beat on medium just until large crumbs form.
- Scrape down the sides and the bottom for unincorporated flour. Mix briefly. Do not over mix or you will end up with a really thick cohesive mixture. Store the crumbs in the refrigerator while you make the cake.
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment. Spray under the parchment to hold it in place and spray the parchment and sides of the pan. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Without cleaning the bowl in which the crumbs were made, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. If it curdles, that's fine.
- Add flour alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until well combined.
- Spoon batter into pan and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Spread the crumbs evenly over the batter.
- Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
- Transfer the crumb cake to a rack and cool about 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. This crumb cake also freezes well. Just wrap it well and freeze.
- This crumb cake also freezes well. Just wrap it well and freeze. To use, I would recommend unwrapping it and thawing it completely first. Rewrap it in foil and reheat it in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes - just to warm it all the way through.
Notes
-
- Cake flour will make the best, most tender cake. Since there is 5 ½ cups between the crumbs and the cake, it take's almost a whole box of cake flour.
- The batter will, most likely, curdle after the last egg has been added. That's fine. For more information on this see my post on How to Avoid Curdled Cake Batter.
- Be sure to alternate the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour.
Nutrition
Chip says
I am amazed I have not reviewed this cake. It has become this summer's featured guest welcome or breakfast side. I've been cutting it in thirds (4" x 9" ) and storing it in the freezer taking out as many as needed. One third is perfect for four folks of a certain age. :-) With all due respect to Ms Fletcher, I do switch out the vanilla with 1.5 teaspoons of Fiori di Siciia, a potent orange extract. The unexpected burst of orange flavor invariably results in at least one "Wow". Keeping sections in the freezer also keeps me from finishing what's left each time I make it!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Chip, I'm all for changing out flavors. I have tried Fiori di Sicilia and haven't found it very potent. Maybe I'll give it another try. I know it gets good reviews. I'm particularly fond of using orange or lemon zest and plenty of it when I do. Great idea to freeze it and use it as you do.
Michelle says
Hello Helen,
I can't wait to try this recipe. I always follow ingredients exactly when I make something for the first time, but I usually buy full fat buttermilk for my other baking and I am wondering if I can use it here or is it necessary for it to be low fat? Thank you in advance.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Michelle, I haven't used full fat but I'm sure it's fine. This is one of my favs.
Bob says
Thanks for the recipe Helen.Growing up in NYC, crumb cake was a Sunday
morning tradition
hfletcher says
Hi Bob: I can imagine it was. It is sooooo good. Now you can make it yourself!
Kim says
Helen, I love the way to take someone else's recipe and perfect it (ie: crumb topping method). Can't wait to give it a go. Will make it and freeze for upcoming Lenten supper at church. Also, FYI, no problems pinning from my end! This St. Louis girl who lived in NY and is married to a full blooded German says, Thanks for sharing your knowledge! :-)
hfletcher says
Hi Kim: You're welcome - I love sharing. Hope your husband likes the Crumb Cake.
mybobba1 says
You have to know how much I love your site but I find it SOOO hard to save your featured recipe, this one is a example. To pin. at times it works, sometimes no. So frustrated. I want to make this today, also does this freez well? Thanks again. Mari
hfletcher says
Does anyone else have a problem with pinning the featured recipe? I know this person has had in the past and it seems to continue. I ask because no one else has brought this up. I will have my IT person look into it though.
As to the freezing it absolutely does. Just wrap it well and freeze. To use, I would recommend unwrapping it and thawing it completely first. Rewrap it in foil and reheat it in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes - just to warm it all the way through.
I'm sorry you continue to have problems.
Mani says
Hi Helen
I love crumb topping for the texture it provides to coffee cakes and muffins.
Thanx for sharing
Love
Edna Phillips says
I love your posts, I can almost taste the delicious ess of each recipe. Would it work to substitute cream cheese for half or all the butter in the crumb topping?
hfletcher says
Hi Edna - I don't know as I haven't tried it. If you do, let me know. That is an interesting concept though.