Crumb cake should be tall and fluffy with a thick, toasty layer of cinnamon crumb topping. And that’s exactly the kind of crumb cake this recipe makes. Here, cinnamon and brown sugar team up to create a soft and moist cake that’s full of nutty caramel notes once baked. It’s so good, you’ll want to keep this recipe in your back pocket for any special occasion or even just Sunday morning brunch at home.

In this recipe, I changed just one simple ingredient, which made a world of a difference. Replacing all-purpose flour with cake flour delivers the most tender and soft crumb. That’s because cake flour has a lower protein content, which contributes to less gluten development, leading to a soft and fluffy cake. If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, all-purpose flour is a great substitute (or you could try this cake flour substitute), and you’ll still end up with a deliciously moist cake.

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Key Ingredients in Crumb Cake

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Crumb Cake

Serves 16 to 20

For the crumb topping:

1 1/2 cups cake flour

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the cake:

Cooking spray

3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature

1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Make the crumb topping:

1. Whisk 1 1/2 cups cake flour, 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a medium bowl.

2. Add 1 stick melted unsalted butter. Stir with your hands or a flexible spatula until crumbly and it holds together when squeezed.

Make the cake:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Meanwhile, coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish cooking spray. Line the bottom and two long sides with a sheet of parchment paper long to extend over the sides by at least 2 inches to form a sling.

2. Whisk 3 cups cake flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder together in a large bowl.

3. Whisk 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 1/4 cup whole milk, three large eggs, two large egg yolks, 12 tablespoons melted and cooled unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a second large bowl until combined and smooth.

4. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a flexible spatula until just combined (some small lumps are OK).

5. Transfer the batter to the baking dish and smooth out the top. Using your hands, crumble the topping into rough pieces in varying sizes no bigger than a blueberry evenly over the cake. Gently press the crumbs into the batter.

6. Bake, rotating the baking dish halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 60 minutes total.

7. Let cool for at least one hour before serving. Serve out of the baking dish. Alternatively, run a knife along the edges of the cake not touching parchment to loosen, then grasp the excess parchment and lift the cake slab onto a cutting board before cutting. Lightly dust with powdered sugar if desired.

(Janette Zepeda is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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