Here’s a classic, bakery-style crumb cake recipe with a thick, buttery streusel topping and soft vanilla cake base.
🍰 Classic Crumb Cake
🧁 Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cake:
- 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
👩🍳 Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and line an 8×8-inch (20cm) baking pan. - Make the crumb topping:
In a bowl, mix flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt.
Stir in melted butter until large crumbs form. Set aside. - Prepare the cake batter:
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
- Mix in sour cream and milk.
- Gradually fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Assemble:
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Sprinkle crumb topping generously over the batter (it will look like a lot — that’s good!). - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
✨ Tips for the Best Crumb Cake
- Don’t overmix the batter — it keeps the cake tender.
- For extra-large crumbs, pinch the topping mixture together with your fingers before sprinkling.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the topping for crunch.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Would you like a New York-style extra-thick crumb topping version or a coffee cake variation with a cinnamon swirl inside?
