Ultimate Crumb Cake

I don't know how many times I've watched my dad eat Entenmann's Ultimate Crumb Cake.  On the weekends, on vacation, any time after he would make a trip to the grocery store for my mom; he just loves it.  And every time, he comments that there should be more crumbs.  When I saw this recipe for New York Style Crumb Cake, I knew I wanted to make it for my dad and make sure there were extra crumbs.  So I halved the cake part of the recipe and kept the full amount of crumbs.  Yes, this was an incredibly rich coffee cake.  If you're not into that, double the cake part of the recipe, and bake it in a 9x13 pan instead.  But if you can handle the crumbs, make this.

crumb cake, heavy on the crumbs

Ultimate Crumb Cake

For the crumb topping:

3 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butted, melted

For the cake:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk

Make the crumb topping:  Mix together flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Pour warm melted butter over mixture, and mix together until medium to large clumps form.

Make the cake:  Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and 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 greased baking dish (2.5 qt) and spread evenly.  Sprinkle crumb topping mixture evenly over batter.

Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes.  Transfer pan to wire rack.  Let cake cool slightly, about 15 minutes.  Can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

source:  recipe slightly altered from Martha Stewart Living, March 2011