Our crumb cake is super moist, topped with huge “Candy Kiss” sized crumbs. The secret to keeping it moist and flavorful? Substituting sour cream for vegetable oil and adding vanilla to the cake mix. This brings the cake to the next level. No one will believe you started with a cake mix. It’s moist and delicious. However, in our opinion, the crumbs are the star here. Big, buttery, cinnamon flavored crumbs sprinkled with confectioners sugar make this cake a crowd pleaser. There are very few who can walk by without stealing a crumb or two before the cake is even served . You’re welcome for the warning lol.
For dessert, who doesn’t love a delicious crumb cake? This crumb cake starts with a tasty and moist cake layer that can be whipped together in minutes. The flavor and texture of the cake are created by sour cream and vanilla. The large crumbs are prepared while the cake is baking. The combination creates a cake everyone will love and request. When they ask for the recipe, it’s up to you if you wish to share how simple this is to make!
What is the difference between crumb cake and coffee cake?
Traditionally crumb cake includes less cake and more topping, while coffee cake has more cake and less crumbs. This definition is quite subjective. We have always viewed coffee cake to have a vein of streusel within the cake and a thin layer on top. The streusel is more moist and creates smaller crumbs. A crumb cake is a solid dense cake. We have used yellow, white or chocolate as they all work well. The topping is made of huge crumbs, some the size of Candy Kisses! Many feel a crumb cake should be mostly crumbs. Ours is probably 70- 80% cake and 20-30% large crumbs. So, our version is a hybrid combining the best features of both!
Will coffee cake keep me up?
There is no coffee or source of caffeine in todays versions of crumb or coffee cake. It will only keep you up if you eat too much of it.
Is crumb cake German?
The classic cake evolved over time from sweet breads and cakes during the medieval period. With the introduction of coffee during the 1700/1800’s, crumb cake, or coffee cake began to evolve in Northern Europe to resemble the dessert we enjoy today. However, those cakes were still yeast based and were more bread like than a cake. Many of those early precursors also included coffee in the ingredients.
The cake evolved further once brought to America where kitchen technology (the advent of baking powder, eliminating the need for yeast)resulted in the cake we all recognize today. If you look at old cook books you will likely see recipes for German crumb cake. While not untrue, its lineage encompasses a larger geographic area than the area we recognize as Germany today.
What is crumb cake made of?
Our’s starts with a dense yellow cake. Our version is a hybrid between a crumb and coffee cake. So you will find the yellow cake is dense but more “cakey” than the traditional cake. To make our recipe, we use a good quality yellow cake mix and substitute sour cream for the vegetable oil. The result is a cake that is more dense and moist than one would expect from a “box cake.” The crumbs are prepared with butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon.
How do I make a moist crumb cake?
You can find a recipe that includes making the cake portion from scratch. To do that you must find a solid recipe and the time to make a from scratch cake. We are all for spending time in the kitchen to produce quality food. In this instance, our “cheat” will provide you an amazingly moist and delicious cake in minutes. The speed with which you can create this cake will allow you to make it for occasions where time would normally prevent preparation of a homemade dessert.
You must start with a good quality cake mix (we use Betty Crocker) The secret is substituting sour cream for the vegetable oil and adding vanilla to the ingredients. The result will be a cake that all who taste will think you made from scratch.
While the cake is baking, prepare the crumbs. The ingredients are flour, sugar, melted butter and cinnamon. That’s it. Mix together and squeeze into crumbs. Pull the cake out of the oven before it is cooked and place the crumbs onto the cake. Place back into the oven. If you would like dryer crumbs, add more flour, wetter or more moist crumbs, more butter. The recipe we provide makes giant crumbs that we have found everyone loves.
Wherever we bring this cake we are told; “you dont get crumbs like that with a store bought or bakery cake,” or “the cake is so moist and flavorful!” Someone always asks for the recipe. We leave it to you to decide if you share how simple the cake is to prepare, or that it’s based upon a cake mix. Enjoy, and let us know how this came out!
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Crumb Cake
12
servings15
minutes32
minutesA true winner. Easy boxed cake made to taste homemade. A deliciously moist cake with loads of irresistible crumbs that will have your friends and family requesting this every time.
Ingredients
1 pkg Yellow or chocolate cake mix.
3 Large eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup Original or reduced fat sour cream
1/8 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks butter
Powdered confectioners sugar (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×13 inch baking pan. Set aside.
- While cake is baking, it is important to have the crumbs ready. After the cake bakes for 25 minutes, you will be taking it out of the oven, putting the crumbs on top and returning it to the oven for another 5-7 minutes. The crumbs may be prepared before or during the time cake is in the oven.
- In a large bowl, add the cake mix, eggs, water, vanilla and sour cream. Beat with an electric mixer until completely blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides down in between if needed. Try not to over-mix. Pour the cake batter into the greased 9×13 cake pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Prepare Crumbs: Melt butter in a microwave safe dish. In a medium sized bowl, add 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar and 3 tbs cinnamon. Add the melted butter and mix well.
- Remove cake from oven after 25 minutes. Evenly distribute the crumbs on top of the cake starting from the outside of cake first and working your way to the center. My trick to making big crumbs is squishing a fist full of crumb mixture in your hand and gently breaking pieces of big crumbs off. A combination of big and small crumbs works wonderfully to fill the top of the cake. Return the cake to the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until crumbs hold together nicely. Let the cake cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if using and enjoy!
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