Crumb cake (often called streusel cake) is a soft, buttery cake topped with a thick layer of sweet, crumbly topping. It’s especially popular in the U.S., with New York–style crumb cake known for having almost as much topping as cake.
🍰 What makes it special
- Tender, moist vanilla cake base
- Generous crumb (streusel) topping
- Lightly spiced with cinnamon
- Perfect balance of soft + crunchy
🥘 Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- 1 cup (125 g) flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (115 g) melted butter
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (115 g) butter (softened)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
🍳 Instructions
- Make the crumb topping
Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Set aside. - Prepare the batter
Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. - Combine dry ingredients
In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. - Mix batter
Add dry ingredients alternately with milk until smooth. - Assemble
Spread batter into a greased pan, then generously sprinkle crumb topping over it. - Bake
Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 35–45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
🍽️ Serving ideas
- With coffee or tea
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Add fruit (like apples or blueberries) to the batter
💡 Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter—keeps it soft
- Big crumbs = better texture (squeeze some topping into chunks)
- Let it cool slightly before cutting so crumbs set
If you want, I can give you:
- A bakery-style New York crumb cake (extra thick crumbs)
- A cinnamon swirl version
- Or a quick one-bowl recipe
