New York Crumb Cake

One thing that is as New York as our cheesecake, is our crumb cake.  If you are ever at Penn Station in New York City, you will see food shops with their windows over flowing with platters of crumb cake, cheesecakes, donuts, etc.  As I walk by, I am trying to be good, but those crumb cakes are always calling me.  Well, this recipe comes from a bakery in Brooklyn that is no longer in business.  They were famous for their crumb cake. 

Well supposedly this is the recipe and I love it.  It makes a big crumb cake, so share with friends.  I have also done a variation.  When you do the first partial bake of the cake with no crumb topping, let cake cool slightly, you than spread seedless raspberry jam on top of cake.  I usually heat the jam and I use an immersion blender to really thin it out.  Spread evenly and ever so lightly with an offset spatula.  Layer with crumb topping and put back into the oven for second bake. 

New York Crumb Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

You have to double pan you crumb cake with a cookie sheet on bottom of pan to avoid over browning.

11X15X2  Wilton Cake Pan

Recipe for Cake (Part One)

2 cups  all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter room temperature (original recipe uses shortening instead of butter)

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 room temperature eggs

1 cup room temperature milk

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Topping

1 lb butter (room temperature soft)

1 pound sugar

2 pounds cake flour ( You might have to add up to an extra 1/2 cup cake flour to form crumbles and not a big glob)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( you can add more if like)

In a big bowl mix all ingredients with your hands until it all comes together, form into crumbles.  Set Aside.

Cake Batter Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon in bowl, add eggs to butter mixture and continue to cream, slowly add flour and milk alternating until all is added.  Beat until creamy and smooth.  Spray pan with spray release ( I use the one that has flour in it).  Smooth cake in pan with offset spatula.  Bake for about 20 minutes.  Make sure you put pan on cookie sheet to prevent over browning on bottom of pan.  After 20 minutes, you can add crumbled crumb topping.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes.  Again, make sure you double pan with a cookie sheet.  Keep a close watch, you do not want to overbake.  You can go up to 35 minutes to make sure your crumb topping is done.   Cool cake completely, sift powder sugar on top, cut into squares.