Crumb Cake

Ingredients

• 250 g (2 cups)plain flour
• 200 g (1 cup)sugar
• 1 sachetlievito paneangeki (or 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder)
• a pinchsalt
• 3 mediumeggs
• 120 ml (½ cup)milk
• 120 ml (½ cup)vegetable oil
• 10 ml (2 tsp)vanilla extract
• ½ bagchocolate chips (optional)
• 255 g (8 oz + 2 tbsp)high-fat butter, such as Kerrygold
• 250 g (2 cups)plain flour
• 300 g (1½ cups; add more depending on how much cinnamon you use)sugar
• 20–30 ml (4–6 tsp, or more depending on taste)ground cinnamon
• 5 ml (1 tsp)vanilla

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Mix dry ingredients

   Put the dry ingredients for the cake base in a bowl.

3. 3

   Add wet ingredients

   Add the wet ingredients and mix them together.

4. 4

   Add chocolate chips

   Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.

5. 5

   Bake the cake

   Grease and flour a springform pan, add the cake mixture and bake for 25 minutes.

6. 6

   Keep oven on

   Leave the oven on, as the crumbs will be added to the cake after its first 25 minutes of baking.

7. 7

   Melt the butter

   Melt the butter for the crumb topping.

8. 8

   Mix dry topping

   Combine all the dry ingredients for the topping in a bowl.

9. 9

   Add butter and vanilla

   Add the melted butter and vanilla to the dry mixture.

10. 10

    Form the crumbs

    Mix until the topping forms crumbs.

11. 11

    Top the cake

    After the cake has baked for 25 minutes, take it out of the oven and add the crumbs over the top.

12. 12

    Finish baking

    Return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

What is crumb cake?

Crumb cake is a cake topped with a substantial layer of sweet crumbs, often flavoured with cinnamon. The name covers a range of bakes, and the recipe supplied here does not specify a particular regional origin.

This version builds the topping from melted butter, flour, sugar and vanilla, then adds it partway through baking. Optional chocolate chips bring a little extra sweetness to the soft cake beneath.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1730 calories, 22g protein, 225g carbs, 84g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the flour and sugar, while the butter and vegetable oil provide most of the fat. Eggs contribute some protein, with smaller amounts from the flour and milk. Pair a slice with fruit or unsweetened yoghurt for a more balanced plate.

The cake base

Dry ingredients: mix the flour, sugar, raising agent and salt before adding the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. The method gives no mixing time, so stop once the ingredients are combined rather than beating for longer than needed.

Raising agent: the ingredient list offers a sachet of lievito paneangeki or 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder. Use one option, not both.

Making the crumb topping

Melted butter: mixing it into the dry ingredients is what turns the topping into crumbs. Add it with the vanilla, then mix until the mixture gathers into uneven pieces.

Cinnamon and sugar: the amount of cinnamon is adjustable, and the recipe suggests adding more sugar depending on how much cinnamon you use. The topping is deliberately generous, so distribute it across the cake rather than pressing it into a smooth layer.

The two-stage bake

First bake: cook the base for 25 minutes at 175°C (350°F), keeping the oven on while you prepare the topping. The recipe adds the crumbs after this initial bake rather than at the start.

Finish: return the topped cake to the oven for a further 15 minutes. The stated doneness cue is a knife inserted in the centre coming out clean.

Pan and texture

Springform pan: grease and flour the pan before adding the cake mixture, as directed. A springform pan also makes it easier to release a cake with a loose crumb topping.

Crumb layer: scatter the topping over the surface so it covers the cake. Avoid smoothing it down, which would make the distinct crumb texture less apparent.

Serving the cake

Let the cake settle before releasing it from the pan, so the topping is less likely to shift. Serve it in slices with tea or coffee.

For a more balanced plate, pair a slice with fresh fruit or unsweetened yoghurt. The cake is also rich enough to serve on its own as a small dessert.

Recipe notes & tips

• Measure the topping cinnamon to taste, since the recipe allows for more than the stated 4–6 tsp.
• Use either the sachet of lievito paneangeki or the listed baking powder alternative.
• Prepare the topping while the cake completes its first 25 minutes in the oven.
• Grease and flour the springform pan before adding the batter.
• Check the centre with a knife after the additional 15 minutes of baking.

Variations

• Chocolate chips: stir them into the cake batter for the optional chocolate version.
• More cinnamon: increase the cinnamon to suit your taste and adjust the topping sugar as suggested.
• Vanilla: use the listed vanilla in both the cake and crumb topping for a pronounced vanilla flavour.
• No chocolate: leave out the optional chips for a plain cinnamon crumb cake.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using both raising agents: choose the sachet or the baking powder alternative, not both.
• Switching off the oven: keep it on after the first 25 minutes so the topped cake can continue baking.
• Adding crumbs too early: put the topping on after the cake's initial 25-minute bake, as instructed.
• Skipping the pan preparation: grease and flour the springform pan to help the cake release.
• Relying only on the timer: check that a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean after the extra 15 minutes.

How to store

Store the cooled cake covered in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days. Reheat individual slices briefly in the microwave, or bring them to room temperature before serving.

Frequently asked questions