Crumb cakes popular for dessert or breakfast

A reader recently requested recipes for different kinds of Crumb Cake. I am happy to provide three recipes for this popular, pioneer cake.

Mom’s Crumb Cake

Topping:

2 CUPS FLOUR

3/4 CUP BUTTER

1 CUP WHITE SUGAR Cake:

1 CUP SOUR MILK OR BUTTERMILK 1 tsp. baking soda

1 egg

1 TSP. CINNAMON

1 TSP. CLOVES

1 CUP RAISINS

1 CUP CURRANTS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch cake pan.

For the topping, mix sugar and flour then cut in butter with two forks to form clumps of crumbs. Set aside 1 cup to use as topping.

For the cake, dissolve the soda in the milk and add to the remaining crumb mixture. Stir in beaten egg, spices, raisins and currants.

Pour into the prepared pan and cover batter evenly with 1 cup of topping. Bake for about 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and crumbs are slightly golden.

•••

New York Crumb Cake

Topping:

1 CUP BROWN SUGAR, PACKED

1/2 CUP WHITE SUGAR

1 1/2 TBSPS. CINNAMON

1/2 TSP. SALT

1 CUP BUTTER, MELTED AND WARM 2 1/2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR Cake:

2 1/2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 TSP. BAKING POWDER

1/2 TSP. SALT

3/4 CUP BUTTER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

1 1/2 CUPS WHITE SUGAR

1 1/3 CUPS SOUR CREAM

2 LARGE EGGS

1 TSP. VANILLA EXTRACT

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch glass cake pan.

For the topping, mix sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend. Add warm melted butter and stir. Add flour and toss with fork until moist clumps form. The mixture will look wet. Set aside.

For the cake, sift dry ingredient in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well blended after each egg. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until blended. Add flour mixture in three additions and beat after each one.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Squeeze small handfuls of topping to form clumps and drop evenly over batter. Topping will be thick.

Bake until topping is golden brown and slightly crisp, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on rack. May be served warm as a breakfast cake or chilled thoroughly and eaten as regular cake, with ice cream or whipped cream.

Old Fashioned Crumb Cake

1 CUP WHITE SUGAR

1 1/2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 1/2 CUP COLD BUTTER, IN PIECES 1 TSP. CINNAMON

1/2 TSP. CLOVES

1 TSP. BAKING POWDER

1 CUP BUTTERMILK

1 EGG, LIGHTLY BEATEN

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a square cake pan.

Combine sugar and flour. Use two forks to cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping.

To the remaining mixture, add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into the cake pan and sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake for 25 minutes.