New Recipe #3 Redo: Crumb Cake

Last year, I followed an easy coffee cake recipe, one that used a box cake mix, but I didn't like how both the cake and topping turned out. Read about it here. Since I definitely want to have a 'go to' coffee cake as an option to accompany coffee when hosting friends, I wished to try again. This recipe for Crumb Cake by Cooking Classy has been on my Pinterest board for awhile. Posted online on my birthday, I thought maybe that's a sign that this will be the one! I made it Sunday morning and... it turned out well! Finally, I have found my coffee cake recipe!

This particular recipe calls for an overload of crumbs. ...and for this, I am thankful. Even though I made a substitution, trading light brown sugar for my preferred dark, the topping was still delicious. Unlike the first time, the crumbs formed easily. The decadent cinnamony topping contrasted and went well with the cake which was light. I even liked the recommended pan size of 8x8 which serves nine pieces. The entire thing looked pretty good too.

About to go in the oven.

Just out of the oven.

On a cake plate.

A slice served with a shot of espresso.

Crumb Cake
9 Pieces

Ingredients
Crumb Topping
1 c. + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar*
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

Cake
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream

*I replaced the recipe's light brown sugar with the dark variety.

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.
3. Line dish with two sheets of parchment and butter parchment. (Alternately, you can just butter and lightly flour the dish if you don't care to lift out the whole cake.)
4. For the crumbs, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl.
5. Pour in melted butter (use a spatula to scrape it all out) and stir to combine.
6. Slowly add flour while mixing with a spatula, and stir until you don't see the flour anymore. Set aside to rest while the cake batter is prepared.
7. For the cake, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl for 20 seconds, set aside.
8. In another bowl, use a hand mixer (or a KitchenAid stand mixer) to blend the butter and granulated sugar until mixture is pale and fluffy.
9. Mix in egg and vanilla.
10. In liquid measuring cup used to measure milk, whisk together sour cream with milk.
11. Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend just until combined, then add 1/2 of the milk mixture and mix just until combined.
12. Repeat process once more, then end by mixing in last 1/3 of the flour mixture until nearly combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl using a rubber spatula and fold batter to fully incorporate.
13. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
14. Break crumb mixture into pea size crumbs and drop evenly over batter.
15. Bake for about 32 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out free of batter. 
16. Cool in cake pan 10 minutes.
17. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and cool on a wire rack. (Dusting with powdered sugar is optional.) Store in an airtight container.



Buon appetito!