Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Dark brown sugar, packed
- ¾ tsp Ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp Table salt
- 8 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 1 ¾ cups Cake flour
Cake Base:
- 1 ¼ cups Cake flour
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Table salt
- 6 tbsp Unsalted butter, softened but cool
- 1 large Egg
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup Liquid buttermilk
Instructions
1. Prep: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
2. Topping: Whisk sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in warm melted butter. Add cake flour and stir until a cohesive, thick dough forms. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Cake Base: Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat in butter, one piece at a time, until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat until light and fluffy (1 minute).
4. Assemble: Spread batter evenly into the pan. Break crumb topping into large pea-sized pieces and distribute over batter, starting from the edges.
5. Bake: Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
6. Finish: Cool for 30 minutes, remove from pan, and dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
- Crumb Temperature: Let the crumb mixture cool to room temperature before adding to the cake batter to prevent sinking.
- Don’t Pat Down: Leave the crumbs loose on top; patting them compresses the batter and prevents rising.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour is essential for the delicate, tender crumb characteristic of this New York style cake.
- Buttermilk: Use real liquid buttermilk for the best texture; avoid powdered substitutes.
- Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezes well without sugar topping.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Easy Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American / New York