New York-Style Crumb Cake

Do you ever just get a craving for a thick, moist sour-cream cake base top with a buttery, cinnamony crumb topping? Well I sure do. If you do too this cake will satisfy that craving real fast! It is getting rave reviews around my office as we speak:

"Am I tasting a drop of rum in this yummy coffee cake or is my taste buds just clamoring for some?  Whatever the case, it’s really really good!" - email excerpt from a paralegal in my office

  

New York-Style Crumb Cake

Yield: Makes 12 servings

Topping:

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, warm

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For topping:

Mix both sugars, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl and whisk to blend. Add warm melted butter and stir to blend. Add flour and toss with fork until moist clumps form (topping mixture will look slightly wet). Set aside.

For cake:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and beat just until blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, beating just until incorporated after each addition. Transfer cake batter to prepared baking dish; spread batter evenly with rubber spatula or offset spatula. Squeeze small handfuls of topping together to form small clumps. Drop topping clumps evenly over cake batter, covering completely (topping will be thick).

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and topping is deep golden brown and slightly crisp, about 1 hour. Cool cake in dish on rack at least 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Cut cake into squares and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.