Crumb cake is one of those foods with a great name. Every time I'm out somewhere that has crumb cake, it takes all my restraint not to order a slice. Butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, so much deliciousness potential. But often, that's all it is: potential. Frequently crumb cakes are too dense, too dry, too bland. The crumbs are either excessively sweet or disturbingly few. The cinnamon too muddled by a heavy cake. So much potential, and so much disappointment.
But the folks over at Cook's Illustrated have done it again. Have turned that potential into reality. Into a crumb cake that is so good I've made three batches in the past two days. So good that I drove out at 10 PM in subzero weather to pick up more cake flour and butter.
This is a New York style crumb cake. That means no swirl of streusel in the cake, nothing to disturb the perfection of the impossibly light, fluffy, buttery cake. Nothing to compete against the perfect, moist crumbs piled high on top. Oh, oh, oh is this a perfect cake.
The secret is in the cake flour. It is absolutely essential to keeping this cake moist, light, and fluffy. The crumb of the cake (rather than the crumb atop the cake) is deliciously fine but sturdy enough to be eaten out of hand. Miracle food.
New York Style Crumb Cake
Serves 8 to 10
But the folks over at Cook's Illustrated have done it again. Have turned that potential into reality. Into a crumb cake that is so good I've made three batches in the past two days. So good that I drove out at 10 PM in subzero weather to pick up more cake flour and butter.
This is a New York style crumb cake. That means no swirl of streusel in the cake, nothing to disturb the perfection of the impossibly light, fluffy, buttery cake. Nothing to compete against the perfect, moist crumbs piled high on top. Oh, oh, oh is this a perfect cake.
The secret is in the cake flour. It is absolutely essential to keeping this cake moist, light, and fluffy. The crumb of the cake (rather than the crumb atop the cake) is deliciously fine but sturdy enough to be eaten out of hand. Miracle food.
New York Style Crumb Cake
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cup cake flour (6.5 ounces)
Cake
1 1/4 cup cake flour (5 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened
1/3 cup buttermilk, shaken well
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Place oven rack in the upper-middle position. Heat to 325º F. Using aluminum foil, make a sling to line an 8-inch baking pan. (Fold a sheet of aluminum foil so that it is 8 inches wide. Repeat. Place one sheet in the baking pan so that the edges are hanging over the side. Take the second sheet and place perpendicular to the first. Smooth the foil so that it is flush to the pan.)
To make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until combined. Add in the melted butter and whisk until smooth. Add in the cake flour, stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a thick dough. (It should get very thick and hard to work with. Just make sure all the flour has been incorporated.) Allow the dough to cool to room temperature, at least 10 to 15 minutes. This is VERY important. If the crumb dough has not cooled properly, it will sink into the cake while baking rather than sit atop it.
To make the cake: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt on low speed until combined. Add the softened butter one piece at a time, mixing after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the buttermilk, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Make sure to scrape the bowl as needed.
Pour the batter into the prepared 8-inch baking pan. Spread into an even layer. Take the room temperature crumb dough and, using both hands, break apart the dough into pea size pieces. Starting at the edges of the pan, layer the crumb topping over the batter, gradually working your way toward the center of the pan. Bake until crumbs are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan using the foil sling. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.