Julie Clark
Posted:
New York Crumb Cake
There’s nothing more comforting than a simple white cake. This classic New York Crumb Cake is loaded with a sweet buttery crumble topping.
I. Love. Crumb cake. As much as an overloaded chocolate cake looks and tastes amazing, if I had a choice? It would be a simple crumb cake alongside a cup of coffee every single time.
A reader gave this New York Crumb Cake recipe to me about one year ago. I had been testing recipes as I searched for the perfect crumb cake. One that had great flavor, but also was overloaded with a buttery crumb. This was a special reader’s recipe, and it was perfect! Just take a peek:
What you’ll love about this cake:
- soft from scratch buttermilk cake
- streusel topping as tall as the cake itself
- lightly sweet and simple flavor
- a great make ahead cake
What is the difference between crumb cake and coffee cake?
Crumb cake or “streuselkuchen” originated in Germany. Many times it is a yeast based cake for the bottom layer, but the New York version is a cake on the bottom. Crumb cake is known to have a butter, sugar flour crumb mixture that bakes into the top. The crumb layer sits as tall as the cake layer.
Coffee cakes sometimes have a sugary streusel that ribbons inside the cake and on top of the cake. In coffee cake there is usually more cake than streusel.
How to Make New York Crumb Cake
This cake bakes in a square 8×8 pan, which is a good thing because I could literally eat it all in one sitting. 😆 Line the baking pan with parchment paper so that you can easily remove the cake to get even slices.
You’ll notice that this recipe calls for cake flour. I highly recommend using cake flour for the softest and lightest crumb texture. You don’t want your crumb cake tough which can happen if you overmix all-purpose flour.
Don’t have cake flour? Make your own by taking one measuring cup of flour (which equals 16 tablespoons). Remove two tablespoons of flour and put it back in your flour container. Then add in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the flour and cornstarch together. This can be a cake flour substitute!
- The first step is to make the crumb topping. Place the sugars, cinnamon, salt and butter in a bowl. Mix well. Add the cake flour and mix until a ball forms. Set aside.
- Then make the cake! In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add in the coconut oil and butter, mixing until the mixture looks like a crumble.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Mix 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan. Smooth it evenly.
- Take the topping and make small marble sized chunks, sprinkling them over the batter evenly.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
After baking, sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Admittedly, I forgot this step because I was so excited to dig in. Oops! you don’t need the extra powdered sugar sprinkle, but it does give it a traditional look.
How long is this cake good for?
This cake is safe to store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cake for up to two months.
Do you refrigerate crumb cake?
No. You can refrigerate it if you’d like, but you don’t have to. Just make sure it is in an airtight container.
New York Crumb Cake
There's nothing more comforting than a simple white cake. This classic New York Crumb Cake is loaded with a sweet buttery crumble topping.
Servings 9
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- 1 ¾ cups cake flour
For the cake:
- 1 ¼ cups cake flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 6 tablespoons salted butter at room temperature (cut into squares)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
Instructions
Make the crumb topping:
- Place the sugars, cinnamon, salt and butter in a bowl. Mix well.
- Add the cake flour and mix until a ball forms. Set aside.
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325º Fahrenheit. Spray an 8×8 baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add in the coconut oil and butter, mixing until the mixture looks like a crumble.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.
- Mix 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan. Smooth it evenly.
- Take the topping and make small marble sized chunks, sprinkling them over the batter evenly.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 9 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
