About This Recipe
If you’ve never had crumb cake before, you are missing something. The classic cake is made of a tender cake topped with about an inch of streusel. The flavor and texture combination is simply out of this world. This recipe for Crumb Cake Loaf is a twist on that classic version.
But most crumb cake recipes make a big cake in a 9″ x 13″ pan. What if you don’t want such a huge coffeecake?
Make this wonderful recipe instead. It is made of a tender cake swirled with cinnamon sugar and topped with streusel.
This recipe serves about 4 people (2 if they really really love crumb cake). And I like the proportion of crumb topping to tender cake better than traditional crumb cake recipes.
This Crumb Cake Loaf would be a fabulous choice for Christmas morning breakfast.
Now I know that flour and brown sugar are listed several times in this recipe. Just follow the recipe step by step and you’ll be fine.
The whole house smells just like Christmas while this coffeecake is baking.
Tips for best Crumb Cake Loaf:
- It’s crucial for this and all baked recipes to make sure you measure flour correctly. Never ever dip a measuring cup into a flour package or container. You will scoop out up to 30% more flour than the recipe calls for, and your cake or cookies will be dry.
- When a recipe says to add liquid and flour “alternately” that means you add some flour and beat it in, then add some liquid and beat it in. While at the University of Minnesota for Food Science, I once saw a classmate add flour AND liquid and mix it in, and continued in that vein. Her cake was dense and she couldn’t figure out why.
- When you add the streusel, pat the mixture down into the batter gently, but don’t push it all the way in. Some streusel will fall off as you cut slices; that’s the nature of the beast.
- Doneness tests are crucial for baked goods. This recipe is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs attached. If the toothpick has batter on it, or wet crumbs, bake it for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Why this recipe works:
- This cake is made with the traditional creaming method. Butter is mixed with sugar, then eggs are added, and the dry ingredients are added alternately with the liquid. This creates a very fine textured cake with a tender crumb.
- The cake is swirled with a cinnamon sugar mixture that adds a ton of flavor and a nice little crunch.
- The powdered sugar topping may seem a little unnecessary, but that sweet touch on the crunchy crumb topping adds a depth of flavor that is surprising.
Steps
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1
Done
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside. |
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2
Done
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In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Add the egg and beat well. |
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3
Done
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Combine the cream, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl and mix. Combine the baking powder, 2 cups flour, and salt in another medium bowl. |
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4
Done
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Now add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. |
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5
Done
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In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. |
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6
Done
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In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and mix. Add the 6 tablespoons melted butter and stir until large crumbs form. |
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7
Done
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Now it's time to assemble the loaf. Put half of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with all of the cinnamon sugar. Use a knife to marble the two mixtures together. Top with the rest of the batter. |
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8
Done
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Sprinkle the streusel crumbs on top and pat down gently. |
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9
Done
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Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread on a wire rack. |
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10
Done
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Before serving, put the powdered sugar into a sieve and sprinkle all over the cake. |
