New York-Style Crumb Cake
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Entenmann’s has nothing on Cook’s Illustrated! I was watching some recorded episodes of America’s Test Kitchen and saw this incredible crumb cake being made. Crumb cake has been on my “to make” list for some time now, as I just can’t resist the light, fluffy cake topping with that sweet crumb topping. It was perfect timing because I was looking for something to make for our monthly neighborhood “Girls Night”. Although the recipe states that it serves 8-10, since I was bringing it for a crowd, I cut the cake into 16 pieces and placed each of them in a cupcake liner for easy consumption. I thought the presentation was so cute, and the cake was definitely a hit. My mom had a piece the next day and said that these rank in the Top 3 things I have ever made. Now that’s a compliment! I stowed away a couple of pieces for myself before I left, but in all honesty, I probably could have eaten this whole cake myself.
New York-Style Crumb Cake
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
For the Crumb Topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 2/3 ounces)
1/3 cup dark brown sugar (2 2/3 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour (7 ounces)For the Cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour (5 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces, softened but still cool
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk
Confectioners' sugar for dustingDirections:
1. To make the Topping: Whisk sugars, cinnamon, salt, and butter in medium bowl to combine. Add flour and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough; set aside to cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. To make the Cake: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 16-inch length parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold lengthwise to 7-inch width. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into dish, pushing it into corners and up sides; allow excess to overhang edges of dish.
3. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt on low speed to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add butter one piece at a time; continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping once if necessary.
4. Transfer batter to baking pan; using rubber spatula, spread batter into even layer. Following photos below, break apart crumb topping into large pea-sized pieces and spread in even layer over batter, beginning with edges and then working toward center. Bake until crumbs are golden and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Note: Don't be tempted to substitute all-purpose flour for the cake flour, as doing so will make a dry, tough cake. If you can't find buttermilk, you can substitute an equal amount of plain, low-fat yogurt. When topping the cake, take care to not push the crumbs into the batter. This recipe can be easily doubled and baked in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. If doubling, increase the baking time to about 45 minutes. Cooled leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
(Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated)
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yum! I love crumb cake. I have a great Martha recipe that I use and love, but will have to give this one a try next time. Looks delicious
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Oh my gosh, that looks awesome! Love the photos!
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It even looks better than Entenmanns!
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Good to know. I’ve had by eye on this recipe since it was published.
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oh wow, that looks delicious!
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Bookmarked it so I can make it later, looks wonderful!
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This looks wonderful! It’s been on my must-make list as well, so I’ll definitely have to try it after your review!
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This looks really tasty!!! Bookmarked!
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oh you got to make it! i bought the cooks illustrated test kitchen magazine just because of this coffee cake!! it looks just like the picture they had , great job!
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it looks amazing! i’m going to have to make this for hubby very soon. i’ve got it saved! can’t wait to try it!
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Seeing this is perfect timing for me! Tonight, my husband asked that my next baked goods creation be a plain coffee cake (I had bookmarked a blueberry one). Now, I don’t even have to go research. We just need to finish off all the brownies, bread and cake we already have
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Wow that looks INSANELY delicious!!!
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Oh, I love this recipe. I’ve made it a number of times. I have several recipes for this sort of crumb cake, and the CI one is definitely my favorite.
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I recently watched the ATK episode that featured this recipe and wanted to make it too. Your’s looks tastier than theirs!
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Is that the correct amount of flour for the topping? My topping turned out way too dry…..
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Natalie on May 6th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
ME TOO!!!
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Hi Michelle,
I double checked and yes, that is the correct amount of flour. Did you use cake flour?
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No… I didn’t have any…. but I did back off on the all purpose flour when I thought it was getting too dry looking…..
I guess I’ve learned that it really does make a difference!
No worries, the cake disappeared anyway!
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Michelle, I just went back and re-read the recipe and saw the commentary prior to the actual recipe, noting that AP flour will cause the cake to be dry and dense. I have edited this entry so that it now includes that paragraph. I hope you try it again!
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Thanks for this recipe, it looks great, and the presentation tips are helpful too!
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Thanks Chelle! Considering how yummy it was even with a dry topping, I can’t wait to try it again with cake flour!
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I made this recipe exactly as it says and I’m confused – my crumbs were swallowed by the cake! how did that happen? Does anyone know what went wrong?
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Cook’s Illustrated always has fantastic recipes! Thanks for sharing!
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I’ve actually never tried crumb cake. All the more reason to make it. Yum!
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Hi Michelle!
I just made this an hour ago and I can’t believe how delicious it is! It’s moist, flavorful, and scrumptious!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. This is the first thing I’ve ever made from your site and I plan to bake so much more!! I was definitely surprised by how easy it was to make! My family is loving it.
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Michelle on June 3rd, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Hi Abi,
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed this! I *LOVE* this cake!!
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I am baking this cake now, with about 5 minutes to go. Oddly, my crumbs have sunk. Can’t imagine what I did wrong.
Any ideas?
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This was soooo good! I have an obsession with crumb cake and have like 15 recipes in my box for various ones but this one is by far the best! Of course I couldn’t wait the 30 minutes until it cooled. Thanks for the great recipe!
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DELICIOUS!
absolutely loved it :] thanks so much
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Michelle on September 13th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Maria – You’re welcome! I love this cake!
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Oh no…I was on a roll with recipes from this site until this one. I followed this recipe precisely but my crumbs were horribly dry. The flavor of the cake was good but it could’ve been a lot moister too. I don’t know what I did wrong but I will try this recipe again.
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Michelle on September 20th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t have a great result, but I hope you’ll give it another try! It’s definitely a favorite!
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My dad grew up in Philadelphia and has fond memories of a similar crumb cake from a local bakery. So for his birthday yesterday, I knew I had to at least attempt this cake for him. Though it took trips to 4 different stores to find cake flour, (who knew cake flour was so difficult to locate???) it made for a successful cake. I actually baked it on Saturday and delivered it after it had cooled, and by dinnertime yesterday (Sunday), it was over half gone between just my dad and mom. And my peanut was able to help make the crumbs- an added bonus! Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
)
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Michelle on September 27th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Happy belated birthday to your dad! (My mom’s birthday was today!) I’m so happy to hear he enjoyed this recipe for his special day!
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Hi! I cant wait to try this recipe!! But i was wondering if it could be done in a bundt pan? If so would any changes need to be made?
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Michelle on February 16th, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Hi Ashley, I would not recommend making this in a Bundt pan – it is not nearly enough batter for a Bundt, and it would bake up much differently.
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i made this crumb cake and i was fantastic, better than the kind you buy at the store. thank you!
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Hey
i tried out this recipe and although the cake just got out of the oven, i already tried it.;)
im not sure if it is supposed to be that moist(?) but i really like it that way.
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I made this cake and my topping sunk to the bottom? Any idea of what i could have done wrong? the cake is still delicious just upside down.
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Michelle on May 16th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Hi Michelle, I’m wondering if you didn’t let the topping cool before putting it on top? I think if the butter was still too warm, it could have caused it to sink.
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I have made this once already and it was great! I was given a suggestion to try to add sour cream for the 2nd go round – how would I need to alter the recipe?
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Michelle on May 24th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Hi Mary, Well, the buttermilk sort of plays the role of the wet ingredient in this recipe, but I’m not sure you could do a 1:1 swap there. Any particular reason why you’d want to add sour cream to the recipe?
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I just wanted to tell you that I am laying in bed drooling at this cake. I can’t wait to get to the store and make it tomorrow! (by the way I’m pregnant so it may explain why I am looking at cakes at 11:00 at night in bed lol)
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I made this cake this morning. Turned out great with the crumb topping. I think next time I just might add a little more cinnamon (I’m a cinnamon fanatic). The topping was a tad dry but if it was moister it probably wouldn’t have been as nice as a topping. Everything I’ve made off this blog is excellent – keep up the good work Michelle! I look forward to checking your site weekly and daily if I can.
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Hi Michelle! I love your site!
I’ve had this bookmarked nearly forever now and finally was craving the Crumb! I made it last night. It’s delicious, only, my crumbs sort of sank down into the middle of the cake as it baked. Any idea what went wrong or how to prevent that? I see the recipe refers to some pics on how to do it but they didn’t make it to your post. Thanks for the recipes!
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Michelle on September 26th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Hi Jen, My guess is that most likely the crumb mixture wasn’t cooled enough when you topped the cake. You could even pop it in the fridge if you find it isn’t cooling down fast enough.
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I just made this for Sunday breakfast. Absolutely AMAZING.
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Hi Michelle! Your cake looks amazing! Just a question from an amateur baker like me, do we need to sieve the cake flour? And if we do, do we do it prior to weighing or after weighing? Hope you can answer this question of mine!
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Michelle on October 12th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
Hi Joli, No need to sift the flour (or pass it through a sieve). You can just mix it as directed.
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Looks like it would just melt in your month.
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This is awesome! Baked this n it turned out real good! Thank you!
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Made this last night. Yes, it was amazing! Everyone loved it! Everything we make form Brown Eyed Baker is a favorite! Thanks
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I just made this and it is delicious. My brother said it was the best crumb cake he ever ate in his life, I agree.
The recipe was easy to follow and the results are fabulous.
Thank you.
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I’m so happy I found your site today!!:-) I baked this crumb cake today and it came out amazing! Tomorrow I’m baking the Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing! Can’t wait to bake many many more from your site!:-) I love it!
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hello michelle,
i was just wondering whats the difference between cake flour and normal flour because i’ve never seen cake flour in the store close to me and also will this recipe make a dry cake? by the way i tried your chocolate chip cookie and brownie recipe they were a BIG HIT I’m a fan!
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Michelle on January 5th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Hi Molly, Cake flour is finer than all-purpose flour. It is stocked in pretty much every grocery store in the U.S. (not sure where you are located) – popular brands are Softasilk and Swan’s Down. If you can’t locate it you can make a substitution with all-purpose flour and cornstarch – the directions are on this FAQ page: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/baking-faq/
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I just made this – sort of. I used regular flour because I didn’t feel like running to the store. I also put in both eggs whole since I didn’t know what else to do with the second egg white and the batter was a little dry because I used plain greek yogurt instead of buttermilk. It was what I had on hand. So I guess I didn’t REALLY make it, but used it as a base and it is quite yummy although we did begin consumption less than 3 minutes out of the oven. : ) The crumbs are dry, but did not sink. The cake is moist. We like it!
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I made this the other weekend and LOVED it. Completely delicious and it was hard not to eat the crumb before I baked it!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
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This cake is so nice I will have to bake it again when I feel like baking
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I just made this cake and it is too good!!!! I followed the
Instructions to a tee and I had no problems
It’s easy and quick to make too
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I made this for the first time and it was soooooo good!!!! I told my husband to cover the cake and put it away and found him eating it non stop like there’s no tomorrow!
:) he said it was so good he almost finished it. Thank you for the recipe.
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can this be done with apples?! like an apple crumble cake? let me know please! also.. if i cant find cake flour.. what do i do?!
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Michelle on March 19th, 2012 at 9:52 am
Hi Shanice, I am actually working this week on a fruit version! Stay tuned, I will update by the end of the week if it worked! As for the cake flour, you can find a substitution here: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/baking-faq/
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Finally made this today. It’s been on my list for a few years now. So so yum!!!
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This recipe is one of the better recipes out there, especially when it comes to the crumb size.
One of the best New York-Style Crumb Cakes my family has been enjoying for years comes from Crumb Cake Creations! They’re actually a New Jersey based bakery which ships throughout the US. I’ve yet to find a crumb cake with larger crumbs than these. Plus, they have a ton of varieties aside from the typical crumb cake you’d expect. Carrot, blueberry jam, red velvet, and pumpkin are just a few of the ones I’ve seen. My favorite happens to be Pumpkin Crumb Cake.
Check them out in time for Easter – you wont be disappointed.
-Annette
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Hi, I’m planning to make this cake this Sunday and was wondering if I can use an 8-inch casserole dish or do I have to use a baking pan? Thanks!!!
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I was wondering if i would be able to add a thin layer of preserves, perhaps in the middle of the batter, then add the remainder of the batter followed by the crumb topping? Would i need to add a bit of baking powder or baking soda? Thank you. Ga’ma Jan. I L O V E your recipes and comments. Thanks for sharing.
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Michelle on April 9th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
I think you would be able to do that without a problem, or altering the recipe.
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hi! i’ve made so many of your recipes and they’ve all come out so goood! quick question about this one tho .. first, could i use light and dark brown sugar interchangeably? and in regards to the buttermilk, can i follow the suggestion on your faq page and use regular milk and lemon juice? does it matter what type of milk (fat free, whole, etc) that i use? sorry for all the questions, thanks for your help in advance!
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Michelle on August 18th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Hi Tina, You could use either brown sugar and yes, you can use the buttermilk substitution tip. I would use any type of milk except for skim. Enjoy!
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Wow-tastes as good as it looks. The cake is very tender-almost the texture of a velvet pillow. I had no trouble with the crumbs sinking but I did chill the topping while I mixed the batter.
Got a phone call and was distracted so I put all the butter in at once with no problem. Also used the light brown sugar-fine.
Just a tip in case anyone hasn’t seen the powdered buttermilk. It’s a great thing to have as it’s very shelf stable and lasts much longer than the real stuff.
Am thinking a layer of raspberry or cherry pie filling would be amazing. Thanks!
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I followed the recipe to a T – and it is indeed wonderful. I was surprised as to how hard it was to find a good coffee/crumb cake – but am so glad I stumbled upon this one. Thank you! Thinks I would consider doing in the future just for fun: fold in a couple chocolate chips or a cinnamon/butter mixture into the batter prior to baking. Also, I found that using my hands to make the crumbles was the easiest way. I wish there were a more automated way to do this should I need to make a number of cakes at once.
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I just came across your blog on thursday and got totally inspired! Made three of your recipes the next day. Followed this exactly, except for used nutri blend (half white half whole wheat) flour instead of cake because that’s all I had. It turned out great!! Sooo much crumbs and I love that, it was more crumb than cake which made the actually cake more like a base
also the cake was nice and dense, would definitely make again!
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I found this blog pretty recently…made the crumb cake for a meeting, and it was so good I made it again a few days later. Wow, so yummy! The cake is so tender and there’s plenty of crumb topping. Seriously, I think I could eat the whole cake by myself (which is why I won’t make it unless I can give some away!). I typically adjust recipes, but this is one that is lovely just the way it is. Looking forward to trying other recipes from this site!
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I THOUGHT I recognized this crumb cake! As a reader of CI/ATK I tore this out a few weeks ago and made it. I doubled it as suggested and baked it in a 9×13 pan. A lover of crumb cake, ok–almost all sweets, this is the closest to my memory growing up in NY. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Every one of yours I’ve tried has been a winner.
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This is a great coffee/crumb cake. Looked great on,one – decided to try it and yum!!!
Great cake and topping – now all I need is a latte.
Thanks!
Patti
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