We are headed to my brother's house for my future sister-in-law's birthday brunch. And of course I need to bring something sweet to eat. It was a toss-up between blueberry muffins and coffee cake. I decided on the coffee cake because my sons like that more. So I searched the recipe archives/internet to find just the perfect crumb coffee cake. It needed to taste like the Entenmann's coffee cake and have lots of crumbs.
I found a wonderful recipe.
(I am wondering what makes it "New York-Style")
The cake surely comes close to tasting like Entenmann's and is pretty easy to make too.
I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't have to double the crumb topping. There was plenty and it was the perfect ratio of cake to topping. Grab a cup of coffee and have some cake. XO
Off to celebrate a wonderful person's birthday.
recipe found at smellslikehome
New York-Style Crumb Cake
original source: Cooks' Illustrated
Don't be tempted to substitute all-purpose flour for the cake flour, as doing so will make a dry, tough cake. If you can't find buttermilk, you can substitute an equal amount of plain, low-fat yogurt. When topping the cake, take care to not push the crumbs into the batter. This recipe can be easily doubled and baked in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. If doubling, increase the baking time to about 45 minutes. Cooled leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Ingredients for the crumb topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups flour
Ingredients for the cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons butter (3/4 stick), cut into six pieces, softened but still cool
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
To make the topping: Whisk sugars, cinnamon, salt and butter in medium bowl to combine. Add flour and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough; set aside to cool to room temperature, 10-15 minutes.
To make the cake: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Cut 16-inch length parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold lengthwise to 7-inch width. Spray 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into dish, pushing it into corners and up sides; allow excess to overhang edges of dish.
In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt on low speed to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add butter one piece at a time; continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg, yolk, vanilla and buttermilk; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping once if necessary.
Transfer batter to baking pan; using rubber spatula, spread batter into even layer. Break apart crumb topping into large pea-sized pieces between your thumb, pointer and middle fingers and spread in even layer over batter, beginning with edges and then working toward center. Bake until crumbs are golden and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. (I had to bake mine for 45 minutes)
Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
~Michelle
