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I don’t generally make coffee cakes. Honestly, if I’m going to go the trouble of making a cake, I’m going to slather the thing in chocolate frosting. It just feels like the right thing to do, ya know? I made an exception for this New York Style Coffee Cake though, because I am sorry, but have you ever seen such big, beautiful crumb topping?
I love crumb topping.
Crumb topping is my friend.
I’ll eat til the very end.
Crumb topping is my life.
I wish crumb topping was my wife.
Just a little poem from me to you. Because that’s how I roll. And, trust me, that poem is much better than the angst-filled poems I used to fill notebooks with back in high school. Much, much better.
Big, fat cinnamon crumbs on top of this New York coffee cake
Back to the cake. The batter for this is so thick and perfectly flavored, it almost didn’t make it from the bowl to the pan. I seriously considered eating it with a spoon, but I had guests coming over so I figured I’d go ahead and bake their dessert. I’m not sure how other people feel about being served raw cake batter as a dessert. Personally, I’m okay with that, so if you ever have me over for dinner just know that I’ll be fine if your dessert never sees the oven.
The crumb topping, though, is the really spectacular thing. It’s so big and fat (not unlike my belly after eating scoops of raw cake batter!) and has just the perfect amount of cinnamon. It’s also made a bit different than other crumb toppings I’ve made. You pour in melted butter and stir the sugar and flour together and then let it dry for a few minutes. Much easier than cutting in room temperature butter, in my opinion!
Enough chatter, here’s the recipe! And, yes, it’s another one from my new favorite cookbook found here. (That’s an affiliate link, by the way. Just keeping it real, yo!)
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New York Style Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 cup melted butter 2 sticks
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 sticks
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass 9x13 pan. You can use a metal pan, but the edges may get a bit crispy.
- To make the crumb topping, mix both sugars, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Fold in the flour until it is absorbed. Spread out a large sheet of parchment paper on the counter and spread this mixture out on the parchment paper to dry while you make the cake mixture.
- To make the cake, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and slat together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter until it is smooth and ribbonlike in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Scrape the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl before each addition, beaiting only until it is just incorporated.
- To assemble the cake, pour the batter in the prepared pan.Use your hands to scoop up a handful of the topping and make a fist. The topping should hold together. Break off in chunks and drop them over the cake. Repeat to use all the topping. Remember, the topping layer will look very thick.
- Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Rotate the pan two times during the baking process. Cool the entire pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before serving.
- The cake will last for 3 days, tightly covered, at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Recipe from Baked Exploration
Heather says
That is the epitome of perfect coffee cake.
Pecan Pie Master says
I made this recipe yesterday for my family. Everyone loved the coffee cake!! Thanks for the great recipe.
Nicole says
Oh. My. God. That. Crumb.
So beautiful! ๐ I love your blog, by the way. ๐
Crustabakes says
I just made these, and it came together and tasted like a dream! thanks so much for sharing!
grace says
there truly aren’t many things i love about new york, but i have to give it props for an outstanding coffee cake. the fact that the crumb portion is more prominent than the actual cake is key. ๐
Evan White says
Sounds mouthwatering. I can’t wait to make one.
I also tried delicious recipes for desserts at: http://www.fourgreensteps.com/community/recipes/desserts-a-goodies-
Liz (Little Bitty Bakes) says
I think the sugar has gone to your brain – ha! Love the poem, though, actually. I love crumb cakes. I’ve been wanting to test the NY style recipe in my Baked Explorations book for some time now!
Brittany says
I must confess, I’ve never made a coffe cake. But the crumble on this has really tempted me to try it out! Hahaha, thanks for sharing your poem. It was hilarious..but true as well ๐
Lora says
I am a crumb cake freak. Your pictures make my mouth water. Love the poem as well.
Joanne says
I used to write songs in high school. They were so angst-ful that they made Danielle Steele seem like an action/adventure novel. Seriously.
This coffee cake has just moved up in my Baked Explorations to-make-immediately list. I love batter you can eat with a spoon.
Your Mama says
I just enjoyed 2 pieces of it! This is the best coffee cake I have ever had. Thanks for leaving the rest of it here last night (I think).
Mandy (Mandy's Recipe Box) says
I love Coffee Cake! This looks delish!
Michelle says
I do love coffee cake and this looks delish. I always think of those little plastic wrapped ones that my mom would sometimes buy us when we were kids. ๐
Kristen says
Looks amazing! My neighbor is coming home from the hospital this week and this definitely falls into the comfort food category. I will be making some for her (and of course testing the batter myself to make sure it is safe to serve).
The Blue-Eyed Bakers says
We’re generally firmly on the side of frosting but that crumb topping!? It’s too delicious to resist!