Big Apple New York-Style Crumb Cake

Big Apple New York-Style Crumb Cake is a moist breakfast cake laden with tart apple chunks.  Top this cake with a hefty dose of crumb topping, and you have all the workings of a new breakfast classic.  

Sometimes, Monday morning arrives far too quickly.  Don't get me wrong -- I love my job and enjoy going into the office.  But in the past few years, the weekends have felt more and more precious.  I've learned to appreciate the opportunity to leisurely curl up with a steaming cup of coffee, a fresh-baked breakfast treat, and the morning paper.  All while wearing a broken-in pair of flannel pajamas rather than a skirt suit, three-inch heels, and nylons.  

This Big Apple New York-Style Crumb Cake is an ideal way to enjoy a relaxing weekend morning.  It takes some time to prepare and bake, but the aroma is wonderfully fragrant.  The cake emerges from the oven with a prominent layer of crunchy crumb topping, which perfectly contrasts the soft crumb of the cake.

(click here for printable recipe)

Big Apple New York-Style Crumb Cake
(Apple cake adapted from this recipe from Spoonful of Flour)

Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 
  

For the apple cake:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup peeled, cored, chopped apples (about 1 large apple)

Instructions

For the crumb topping:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sift together flour and cornstarch. Set aside. 

2. Once butter has melted, remove from heat.  Whisk in sugars, cinnamon and salt.  With a rubber spatula, stir in flour and cornstarch mixture until fully moistened.  Use fingers to press crumb mixture together, forming large clumps.  

For the apple cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9"x 9" baking dish with foil.  Spray foil lightly with cooking spray.  Set aside. 

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.  

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat for an additional minute, until fully incorporated.  

4. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula.  Stir in Greek yogurt and vanilla extract.  Finally, stir in remaining flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated.  Gently fold in apples.  Do not overmix.  

5. Pour cake batter into prepared baking pan and smooth top with rubber spatula.  Sprinkle top with crumb topping, and use fingertips to gently press crumb topping into the batter. 

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean.  Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 12-16 servings

(click here for printable recipe)

Do you see that apple-shaped Le Creuset dish in the second picture?  Adorable, right?  My mother-in-law found it a few years ago at a thrift store, and generously passed it on to me.  It's become my go-to dish for all sorts of fall baking.  Such a great thrift store find!  

Thank you for reading, friends!  I hope you all enjoyed the weekend.