Coffee's Perfect Match: Crumb Cake

I love sweet foods that compliment a nice hot cup of coffee. Something just feels right about eating a pastry, bread or cake in the morning and it being perfectly acceptable. When I ate this right out of the oven, I was worried that I had cooked it for too long, and I only put it in for the lower time. It wasn't until the cake cooled that I knew I had made the right choice chosing this recipe. It isn't dry, but itsn't overly moist. It goes great with your morning brew and has just a hint of sweetness from the crumb topping. This is great to have at a breakfast or brunch, or for the holidays. Also, I made this the night before and cut it then wrapped with plastic wrap and it stayed nicely even until 2 days later.

New York Style Crumb Cake (from Pineapple Grass, originally from Martha Stweart Living Magazine)
Makes one 13"x9" cake.
Serves 24+, depending on how you cut it.

For the crumb topping:
3-1/2 c. cake flour (not self-rising)
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. packed dark-brown sugar
1-1/2 t. ground cinnamon
Coarse salt
2-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted


For the cake:
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2-1/2 c. cake flour
1/2 t. baking soda
Coarse salt
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1 t. pure vanilla extract
2/3 c. low-fat buttermilk
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
 
Make the crumb topping: Mix together flour, sugars, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Pour warm melted butter over mixture, and mix using your hands until medium to large clumps form.


Butter a 13"x9" baking pan. (I useda stick of butter at room temp - peeled a portion of the wrapper away and then rubbed the soft stick along the pan)

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.


Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Continue to beat until well combined.

Spoon batter into pan, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle crumb-topping mixture evenly over batter.


Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cake cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. (I baked for 45 and wouldn't bake any longer than that.)