Crumb Cake 101

I love crumb cake. I find that too many of them are too much cake and not enough crumb. There needs to be a balance between the two, and of course what would this cake be without a great cup of coffee! Here is my recipe for coffee cake. I make this in a 10" or 9" springform pan so I can bring the cake to the table in the pan (after I have taken off the springform sides). This makes cutting the cake easier and presentation nice. In the end, who doesn't love a fresh, warm piece of coffee cake?

Crumb Cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl mix together:

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk

In another bowl whisk together:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and stir with a spatula to bring them together (do not use a mixer!) Spread this in an even layer on your springform pan.

In another bowl, mix together:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark both work)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter - melted

Confectioner's sugar to dust (if desired)

Stir these ingredients together to make the 'crumb' and distribute on top of cake batter layer.

Transfer the pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, rotating 1/2 way around for even browning. Test your cake before you pull it out of the oven with a toothpick (make sure it comes out clean). If it does not, let it bake for an additional five minutes depending on your oven.

Pull it out of the oven, let it rest a couple minutes and unspring it. You can at this point dust it with confectioners sugar. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake and serve. Enjoy!