New York Style Crumb Cake

Okay, so this isn't quite the healthy recipe that I promised in my last post, but my sister had organised a lunch at her place and I was asked to make something sweet for it. The plan was to keep it simple - rolls for lunch - and so I decided to go with that theme with the dessert. This 'New York Style Crumble Cake' from my Baked Explorations cookbook seemed perfect for that theme.

Ingredients:
For the crumb -
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar (granulated sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
250 (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & warm
2 1/2 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
For the cake -
2 1/2 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
200g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups caster sugar (granulated sugar)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C (350F) and position the rack in the centre of the oven. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.
To make the Crumb Topping:
In a bowl, stir together both sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Fold in the flour until it's absorbed. Set aside.

To make the Cake:
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter until it is soft and creamy. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until it starts to look fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.

Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined.

Add the dry ingredients in three parts, beating each time until it is just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use your hands to scoops up a handful of topping and crumble chunks over the top of the cake batter. Make sure to use all of the topping. Don't worry if the topping layer looks too thick - it's meant to be like that.

Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the entire pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe Source:
Baked Explorations
by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

New York style Crumb Cake Ingredients: For the crumb - 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup caster sugar (granulated sugar) 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon 250 (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & warm 2 1/2 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour) For the cake - 2 1/2 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour) 3/4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 200g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups caster sugar (granulated sugar) 2 eggs 1 1/4 cups sour cream 1 tsp vanilla Method: 1. Preheat your oven to 180C (350F) and position the rack in the centre of the oven. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. To make the Crumb Topping: 2. In a bowl, stir together both sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Fold in the flour until it's absorbed. Set aside. To make the Cake: 3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. 4. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter until it is soft and creamy. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until it starts to look fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. 5. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, beating each time until it is just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 6. Use your hands to scoops up a handful of topping and crumble chunks over the top of the cake batter. Make sure to use all of the topping. Don't worry if the topping layer looks too thick - it's meant to be like that. 7. Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the entire pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before serving.