CRUMB no CAKE – Jersey Style
New York may be known for their Crumb Cake but it's a few North Jersey bakeries who perfected the CRUMB. Vacarro's bakery in Clark for one.
EQUIPMENT: mixing bowl, rectangular cakepan, measuring cups and spoons
Chef’s Note: To be straight with you – I seldom “bake the cake”. I just want the CRUMB! If I do I use JIFFY Yellow Cake Mix, it is consistent, and comes out perfect every time. Anyway, real men do not bake cakes.
Now the CRUMB is a different story. It needs to be the absolute best and must be mixed in a specific way for perfection.
CRUMB INGREDIENTS:
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, soft room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for topping
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375ᵒF
- Mix the cake mix by directions (if using). Place mix in a buttered cake pan set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the softened butter and combine with a fork. If you add the flour before the butter the butter absorbs into the flour instead of the sugar.
- Add the flour and mix with a fork. You want the CRUMB to be crumbly, so do not overmix...
- Top the cake mix with CRUMB mix (if using). Gently press it into the mix.
- Bake the CRUMB mix, with or without the cake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
- Save some for other people NOT!