This Easy Crumb Cake with the best crumb topping is easy to make, even if you are a beginner baker. No mixer or special flour needed. The perfect dessert to serve with coffee or tea!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Raise your hand if you are a crumb cake fan! I am too! It's one of my favorite cakes to bake. It's very easy and the streusel topping is absolutely perfect! Over the years, I perfected it and it never fails. This recipe is heavy on the crumb, like New-York style cake!
What I am looking for in a delicious coffee cake are a soft, fluffy cake base and a perfectly crunchy streusel topping. And while I just love the streusel, the cake layer needs to be delicious too! This one is soft, fluffy, and not too sweet so it lets the crumb topping shine.
Ingredients:
- flour: use all-purpose and not cake flour; the cake needs to be sturdy to hold the crumb topping, not frosting
- sugars: granulated and brown sugar
- baking powder and baking soda: necesarry for proper rising and browning
- ground cinnamon: characteristic spice in coffee cakes
- eggs: add moisture and bind ingredients
- buttermilk: best for baking; make your own with milk and vinegar or lemon juice
- oil: I used vegetable oil
What you need to make crumb topping:
- flour: use all-purpose
- granulated sugar: necesarry for proper browning and flavor
- brown sugar: adds richness thanks to the deep molasses flavor
- salt: balances out the sugars
- cinnamon: every streusel topping needs this spice
- butter: necessary in crumb topping; melt it and then cool for the best results.
How to make crumb cake?
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients.
- Whisk wet ingredients in a large measuring cup or a medium bowl.
- Combine all and stir until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour into prepared pan.
How to make a crumb topping?
- Start by melting butter in a bowl, in the microwave.
- Cool it completely. It should be cool to the touch.
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and add melted butter.
- Stir the mixture with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle over the cake layer and bake the cake!
Does a coffee cake have coffee in it?
This is one of the most common questions I get on my coffee cake recipes. It is also the biggest misconception about this dessert. The cake does not have any coffee in it BUT it is the perfect dessert to serve with coffee (or tea) because it does not have frosting or a fruit layer. The cake and coffee pair perfectly, hence the name!
Expert tips:
- I highly recommend using buttermilk in place of just milk in the cake batter. It will produce a fluffy crumb.
- My favorite way to make crumb topping is with melted and cooled butter. It has to be cool to the touch, otherwise, it will "cook" the flour mixture when stirred in and not form a proper crumb top.
- Do not overmix the batter. No mixer here is needed. Just stir the wet and dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
- Always cool the cake completely before slicing.
- You can use a square or round baking pan.
Storing and freezing:
Any leftovers should be stored in a container with a lid or wrapped in saran wrap to prevent drying out. You can keep it in the fridge or on the counter. Let it sit at room temperature before serving.
To freeze the cake, wrap it tightly in saran wrap, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then let come to room temperature.
Recipe FAQs:
Classic cake has a frosting (buttercream, powdered sugar frosting, etc.) while a coffee cake has a streusel or crumb topping. A crumb cake is very similar to coffee cake but the crumb topping is the star. The crumbs are bigger and the topping layer is thicker. This is the biggest difference between these desserts. Coffee cakes can have fruit just like cakes. The topping is what sets them apart.
If you need this cake to last longer than 3 days, wrap it in saran wrap and keep in the fridge. If you plan on serving it withing a couple of days, it can be stored on the counter.
Insert a toothpick (or a dry spaghetti noodle) in a few places in the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it has few crumbs stuck to it, leave the cake in the oven for 4 to 5 more minutes.
More cake recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!
Easy Crumb Cake
Ingredients
for the cake
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk see note
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
for the crumb topping
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line 8 or 9" square or round baking pan with parchment paper or grease and flour. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients.
- Whisk wet ingredients in a large measuring cup or a medium bowl.
- Combine all and stir until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Melt butter in a heat-proof bowl, in the microwave. Start with 20-second increments.
- Cool it completely on the counter. It should be cool to the touch. Don't rush it and chill in the fridge or it will solidify.
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and add melted butter.
- Stir the mixture with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle over the cake layer.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 32 to 35 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in a few places comes out clean.
- Cool cake completely before slicing.
Notes
- You can quickly make homemade buttermilk to use in this recipe. Follow my recipe here: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/buttermilk-substitute/
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Sarah Skaggs says
This was so delicious! We all loved it.
Anna says
Thank you so much, Sarah!
wilhelmina says
This cake is the bomb! We absolutely loved it and will be making it again soon!
Anna says
I am so glad! Thank you, Wilhelmina!
Valentina says
LOVE this easy crumb cake recipe! The cake is so easy to make and great for breakfast or dessert! 🙂
Anna says
Thank you, Valentina!