Lisa's Crumb Cake
Submitted by dreamboat
New Jersey-style crumb cake with a thick, buttery cinnamon crumb topping over a soft yellow cake base. A bakery-worthy coffee cake with more crumbs than cake, dusted with powdered sugar.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
50 minIf you’ve ever walked into a Jersey bakery and stared at those massive crumb cakes in the display case, this is that recipe. A pound of melted butter goes into the crumb topping alone, mixed with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until it feels like wet sand. The crumb layer is thick, buttery, and honestly the whole reason this cake exists.
The cake base uses a yellow cake mix as a shortcut, but the homemade crumbs are what make it special. Half-bake the cake for 15 minutes first, then pile the crumbs on top and finish baking. This two-stage approach lets the cake set enough to hold the weight of all those crumbs without sinking.
Chilling the crumb mixture before grating it over the cake keeps the butter solid so the crumbs hold their shape. Use a cheese grater for the most authentic, chunky crumb texture.
Pro Tips
- The crumb mixture should feel like wet sand. If it’s too dry, add a splash more melted butter. Too wet, add more flour.
- Don’t follow the cake mix box instructions. This recipe uses different ratios for a thinner, sturdier base that supports the crumbs.
- Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. Hot cake melts the sugar into an invisible layer.
- Cut the cake in the pan. It’s too fragile to flip out whole.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
To make the crumbs: Sift the 4 cups flour and then mix in 1⅓ cups sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
Mix in the 1 pound melted butter, 3 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon butter flavor.
The crumb mixture should have a consistency of wet sand.
(You can add more flour/sugar if needed).
When done, store in refrigerator.
To make the cake: Grease a large lasagna style pan (12 x 17) and shake flour into it to coat it.
Mix the cake ingredients together thoroughly in a large bowl: the yellow cake mix (DON’T follow any instructions on the cake mix box!!), 3 eggs, 1⅓ cups water, 1½ teaspoon vanilla, and 1½ teasoom. butter.
Pour into the lasagna pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350℉ (180℃).
Remove from oven and;crumble the crumbs mixture evenly over the partially-baked cake.
You can grab a large chunk and use a cheese grater to do this.
Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
Cool completely and sift powdered sugar over the crumbs.
Cut cake into pieces before taking it out of the pan.
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