A balance of buttery and lightly spiced

Cookielike crumb cake just takes a little adjusting

The essence of crumb cake is the balance between the buttery cake and the thick, lightly spiced topping.

Starting with our favorite yellow cake recipe, we realized we needed to reduce the amount of butter or the richness would be overwhelming. We also wanted our crumb topping to be soft and cookielike, not a crunchy streusel.

Don’t be tempted to substitute all-purpose flour for the cake flour, as doing so will make a dry, tough cake. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute an equal amount of plain low-fat yogurt.

Take care to not push the crumbs into the batter. This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13-by-9-inch pan. If doubling, increase the baking time to about 45 minutes. We did not like the result when we froze this cake.

For the crumb topping, whisk melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in medium bowl to combine. Add flour and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough; set aside to cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

For the cake, using a stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt on low speed to combine. With mixer running, add softened butter 1 piece at a time. Continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining, 1 to 2 minutes. Add buttermilk, egg and yolk, and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread batter into even layer. Break apart crumb topping into large pea-size pieces and spread in an even layer over batter, beginning with edges and then working toward center.

Bake until crumbs are golden and toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Nutrition per serving: 410 calories; 150 calories from fat; 17 g fat ( 10 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 82 mg cholesterol; 138 mg sodium; 60 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 28 g sugar; 5 g protein. Makes 8-10 servings From America’s Test Kitchen

Daniel J. van Ackere / America's Test Kitchen via Associated Press New York-style Crumb Cake starts with a yellow-cake recipe but cuts some of the butter richness.