OLD-FASHIONED CRUMB CAKE

Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake image

My dad grew up in the Bronx of the 1920s and was very fond of the yeasty crumb cakes found in many German-Jewish bakeries there. He calls the moist, tender cakes "crumb buns" and loves to eat them with a cup of coffee.

Provided by Ruth Cousineau

Categories Cake Dessert Bake Kosher Gourmet Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Breakfast Brunch New York Bronx

Yield 12-16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

For cake:
1 (1/4-ounces) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm whole milk (105115°F)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces and softened slightly
For crumb topping:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla
Special Equipment
a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment

Steps:

Make dough:
Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup warm milk, and 1 tablespoon sugar in bowl of mixer until yeast is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
Stir together lemon juice and remaining 3/4 cup milk and let stand until curdled, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add 3 3/4 cups flour to yeast mixture along with salt, eggs, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and mix at low speed until just combined. Add curdled milk and beat at medium speed until a dough forms. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, beating, then continue to beat until dough is silky and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.) Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Make topping:
Pulse together topping ingredients in a food processor until many large clumps form. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, until ready to use.
Form and bake cake:
Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking dish or pan.
Stir dough several times with a rubber scraper to release air, then spread evenly in baking dish.
Sprinkle dough with half of topping, then cover dish with kitchen towel and let dough rise again in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Sprinkle remaining topping over top of cake and bake until topping is golden, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack until barely warm, then cut into squares.