Streusel Pound Cake

A pound cake mix layered with homemade brown sugar and cinnamon streusel, baked entirely in a slow cooker. No oven needed, and the crockpot’s gentle, even heat produces a surprisingly moist, tender cake.

Layering the streusel in the middle and on top creates a ribbon of crunchy, cinnamon-nut sweetness that runs through the center of the cake. When you slice it, you get that beautiful swirl that makes it look like you spent way more time than you did.

The paper towels under the crockpot lid are the trick that makes slow cooker baking work. They absorb the condensation that drips off the lid, which would otherwise make the top of the cake soggy and wet. Eight towels sounds like a lot, but they really do the job.

Using a coffee can or Bundt pan inside the crockpot gives the cake structure and a proper shape. The size of your slow cooker determines which vessel to use: a 2-pound coffee can for a 3-quart crockpot, or a Bundt pan for a 5-quart.

Kitchen Tips

• Grease and flour the can or pan thoroughly. Slow cooker cakes stick more aggressively than oven-baked ones because of the steam.
• Check for doneness with a toothpick starting at the 2-hour mark for Bundt pans or 3 hours for coffee cans. Every crockpot runs differently.
• Let the cake cool in the container for at least 15 minutes before turning out. It needs time to pull away from the sides.
• The streusel should be a crumbly mix, not a paste. If the brown sugar is too moist, add a bit more flour.

Variations

• Chocolate streusel: Add two tablespoons of cocoa powder to the streusel mixture for a chocolate-cinnamon swirl through the vanilla cake.
• Apple cinnamon: Tuck thin apple slices into the streusel layer for a fruity, almost apple coffee cake version.