A Crumb-y Morning

When I have overnight guests, I love to have something out-of-the-ordinary to serve them for breakfast. But – that doesn’t mean I want to get up at the crack of dawn to make it! This recipe is one of my favorites, mostly because it’s downright ridiculously delicious, but also because I can make it the night before and warm individual servings in the microwave the next morning.

This is not your Entenmann’s Crumb Cake type of cake… 98% cake with some sad little amount of crumbs on top. This is New York Style Crumb Cake, where the ratio of crumb to cake is 50/50… ok, let’s be realists here, it’s more like 75/25! The crumb topping is sweet and rich… the cake is so moist but not as sweet, to balance everything into perfect breakfast harmony. All you need to serve with this cake is a cup of coffee and some fresh fruit. Oh, and a microwave.

GF New York Style Crumb Cake

Crumb topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted, and warm
2 1/2 cups GF flour blend (without leavening - I use King Arthur brand)

Cake
2 1/2 cups Pamela’s Baking Mix
12 TB unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 ¼ cups sour cream
1 ts pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass 9 x 13-inch pan.

Make the crumb topping

In a medium bowl, stir together both sugars, salt and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Fold in the flour until it is absorbed and set the mixture aside.

Prepare the Cake
Sift flour blend into medium bowl and set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy; add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and beat just until blended. Add flour blend in 3 parts, beating just until incorporated after each addition.

Assemble the cake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spread batter evenly. 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 cake. Repeat to use all the topping. Remember the topping will look very thick.

Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Rotate the pan two times during the baking process. Cool entire pan on wire rack for about 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.

To warm, place individual serving (3"x3" sq) on microwave safe dish and heat for 15-20 seconds on high. If needed, add more time, in 5 second increments.