crumb cake

Molly Marzalek-Kelly’s selected crumb cake places a thick layer of slightly crisp cinnamon streusel over a tender cake. The recipe describes an almost equal ratio of crumbs to cake, with the cake made by reverse creaming.

Flour, granulated sugar, icing sugar, the selected Vietnamese cinnamon and table salt are mixed for the crumbs. Cubed unsalted butter and vanilla are worked into them until irregular crumbs form, ranging from pea to walnut size.

For the cake, flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, table salt and baking soda are mixed with a separate portion of unsalted butter until sandy. Vanilla and one egg follow, then the selected buttermilk is slowly poured in and the batter mixed smooth.

The batter spreads into a parchment-lined square pan with greased sides. The crumbs are scattered evenly over it and gently pressed to adhere before baking turns them golden and sets the cake beneath.

After initial cooling, the cake lifts out using its parchment sling and cools a little more on a rack. The selected optional glaze mixes icing sugar, ground cinnamon and water until smooth, then drizzles over the cake.