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A piece of the New York Crumb cake on a plate with a stack in the background.
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New York Style Crumb Cake

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. 
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Cooling Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Coffee Cake, Crumb Cake, New York Style Crumb Cake
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 386kcal
Author: Helen S Fletcher

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.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg