(Recipe + Video) Cream Cheese Crumb Cake
This cream cheese crumb cake is the ultimate coffee cake with a buttery cake on the bottom, a cream cheese layer and crumb streusel topping.
This cake is ideal for breakfast, the holidays, or whenever you want a warm, cozy treat.
This multi-layer cake is prepared in a 139-inch cake pan. I like these kinds of cakes since they don’t need any decoration. Just serve them in their pans.
You should also serve this cake warm. You can always cut a slice, microwave it, and eat it.
Hello there! Before you browse, there’s a lot of vital information in this article! includes the FAQ section, which may help you with any queries you have regarding this recipe. Enjoy!
Now, I’m going to use the phrases crumb cake and coffee cake interchangeably since they’re both the same thing. However, a coffee cake does not include coffee; it is just a cake that may be eaten with coffee as a snack or breakfast.
This crumb cake is suitable for breakfast, snacking, or dessert. There are no cake restrictions here, so eat it whenever you want!
Contents
- Ingredient Notes:
- Mixing Method Notes:
- Tips & FAQs:
- Supplies Used for this Cake:
- Recipe:
- Cream Cheese Crumb Cake
- Other posts you might like:
- FAQs
- Does a cream cheese coffee cake need to be refrigerated?
- What is New York style crumb cake vs coffee cake?
- How long does homemade crumb cake last?
- Why is crumb cake called crumb cake?
- Can I leave cake with cream cheese out overnight?
- How do you keep cream cheese frosting from getting runny?
- What are Elvis cakes?
- What is a Kennedy cake?
- What is a Sally cake?
- Should cakes be cold before crumb coating?
Ingredient Notes:
Now, let’s go through some of the key components in this cake. (The whole ingredient list may be seen in the recipe card below.)
Brown sugar: This will be added to the crumb mixture. You may use light brown or dark brown sugar, but I chose light brown.
Cinnamon: A little of cinnamon in the streusel mixture provides just the right amount of flavor.
Unsalted butter: This will be used in both the crumb topping and the cake. Unsalted butter is preferred here since salted butter may contribute too much salt. See this post link for additional information on the difference between unsalted and salted butter and when to use which. Unsalted Butter vs. Salted Butter
Cream cheese: What is a cream cheese crumb cake without cream cheese? I think the full-fat version has the nicest taste.
Buttermilk: You’ll need this for the cake, and it’s preferable if you can acquire genuine buttermilk rather than a replacement. It just adds flavor, but it will NOT make your cake taste like buttermilk.
If you really cannot get buttermilk, I discuss an alternative in the Questions and Suggestions portion of this page.
Don’t forget to check out the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list.
Mixing Method Notes:
Let’s discuss about the mixing process. (Exact directions are included in the recipe card below.)
The crumb topping might be a bit messy to make. To assist mush up the cold butter, I recommend wearing food-safe gloves or putting your hand inside a sandwich bag and using it in lieu of a glove. (See the video at the bottom of this page to understand what I mean.)
A mixer may also be used to split things up.
The cream cheese mixture will come together quickly and easily. Just mix it until it’s smooth and creamy.
The reverse creaming procedure will be used for the cake. Don’t worry, I’ll explain each step in the recipe card below, but it’s really rather simple.
You’ll put the liquid components in one dish and the dry ingredients in another. The practically room temperature butter will then be added (in pieces) to the dry ingredients to coat them.
After coating, add the liquid mixture in two stages. This method of mixing cakes prevents the gluten from overdeveloping, resulting in a thick cake. This way of mixing will result in a delicate, silky crumb.
See this blog post link for additional information on various mixing procedures and why they are used: Mixing Methods
Dont forget, the entire directions will be in the recipe card below.
Tips & FAQs:
Light brown or dark brown sugar may be used. For this cake, I utilized a light brown color.
Unsalted butter is ideal for this recipe since you can regulate how much salt is added. If you can’t get salted butter, use salted butter instead, but leave off the salt.
It must be chilly for the crumble to crumble properly and not create a paste when mixed. The cake should be approximately room temperature to help coat the dry ingredients.
You don’t want to microwave the butter to reheat it since it will overheat or heat unevenly. Set it out about an hour before you want to begin baking.
Cold cream cheese is difficult to combine with a mixer. It should combine nicely with the butter and become quite smooth. Set it out early so it has time to warm up before you use it.
It’s ideal to use actual buttermilk in this recipe since it adds the most moisture and enhances the flavor.
If you can’t find it, you may make sour milk by combining a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup, then adding ordinary milk up to the 1 cup line. Let it to rest for approximately five minutes after stirring before using. This is not the same as buttermilk, but it will suffice in an emergency.
Too much time spent mixing scratch cake batter can result in a thick cake. Just mix until the ingredients are well blended.
If the top is browning too much but the cake has to bake for a little longer, just drape a piece of foil over the top for the balance of the baking time and this will protect the top from over-browning.
Keep this cake in the refrigerator, well covered, for 5-6 days.
Although this cake is best served fresh, it may be prepared ahead of time. It is best served warm, so you may want to warm it up a little before eating it.
Absolutely, however if you use a black nonstick coated pan, reduce the temperature to 325°F and bake for a little longer. The top should be golden and a toothpick put into the middle should come out with a few crumbs, but not uncooked batter.
There are affiliate links in this post. I earn money as an Amazon Associate by making qualifying purchases.
Supplies Used for this Cake:
- 13×9 glass baking dish
- Stand mixer or hand mixer?
- Set of mixing bowls
- Set of measuring cups
- Cups for measuring liquids
- Set of whisks
- Spatulas made of silicone
Let’s get started with the recipe!
***I write recipes in volume (cup) measures since that is what people in the United States are accustomed to seeing and using. Click the metric button beneath the ingredients in the recipe card to get weight in metric measures. The weights are converted by a software, not by me, and the results are an educated approximation. Please keep in mind that while I prepare recipes in cups, I cannot guarantee that weighing the components will provide the same results.
Recipe:
Cream Cheese Crumb Cake
***I publish recipes in volume (cup) measures since that is what people are accustomed to seeing and using in the United States. Click the metric button beneath the ingredients in the recipe card to convert weight to metric measures. The weights are converted by a software rather than by me, and it is an educated assumption. Please keep in mind that while I create my recipes in cups, I cannot guarantee that weighing the components will provide the same results.
***I write recipes in volume (cups) measures since that is what people in the United States are accustomed to seeing and using. Click the metric button beneath the ingredients in the recipe card for weight in metric units. The weights are converted by a software, not by me, and it is a best approximation. Please keep in mind that while I prepare recipes in cups, I cannot guarantee that weighing the components will provide the same results.
Ingredients
For the crumb topping
- a cup of packed brown sugar
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- teaspoonsalt
- chilly cupunsalted butter, sliced into tiny bits (1 stick)
For the cream cheese mixture
- 18 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
- a cup of granulated sugar
- 1 big egg
For the cake
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- teaspoonsalt
- 1 pound granulated sugar
- 1cupbuttermilk
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- two huge eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- room temperature cupunsalted butter (1 sticks)
Instructions
For the crumb topping
- In a mixing dish, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Remove any brown sugar bits. Mix in the chilled butter in pieces using a fork, pastry blender, or your fingertips. After all of the butter pieces have been broken up and partly integrated, use an electric mixer to stir it just until the dough is crumbly.
- If using a mixer, take cautious not to overmix or the mixture may become paste-like. When the mixture becomes crumbly, stop mixing.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool while you prepare the cream cheese mixture and cake batter.
For the cream cheese mixture
- Cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and egg until smooth. Put aside while preparing the cake batter. If you’re going to make cake batter soon, don’t chill the cream cheese mixture.
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray or butter a 913-inch baking pan. (I used a glass pan for this). If you’re using a dark-coated pan, the bottom may over-brown somewhat, so keep that in mind and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar in a large mixing basin. Set away after thoroughly whisking.
- In a separate basin, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla essence. Set away after thoroughly whisking.
- Check to see whether the butter is slightly lower than room temperature, but not frigid. Slowly incorporate the butter (in bits) into the dry ingredients. (A stand mixer on low may be used to add the butter pieces a little at a time, or a hand mixer can be used.)
- Mix on high until the flour is completely covered with the butter and the dough is crumbly. It will be sand-like in texture. (If you want to see what this looks like, watch the video.)
Turn the mixer to medium after all of the butter has been incorporated.
- Pour in about half of the liquid mixture. For approximately one minute, mix on medium.
- Pour in the remaining liquid mixture and stir briefly until mixed. At this time, avoid over-mixing the batter. Mixing it for more than 30 seconds is excessive. Stop mixing after all of the ingredients have been well combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir for another 10 seconds to ensure that all of the components are properly combined.
- Fill the prepared pan halfway with the batter.
- Sprinkle the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter by teaspoonfuls. Using a knife, gently swirl through. Try not to let the knife contact the pan’s bottom.
- Evenly distribute the crumb mixture on top of the cake batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes. If using a glass pan, place a cookie sheet on the rack underneath the cake to prevent the bottom from browning too much. Put a layer of foil over the top of the cake during the final 10 minutes of baking if it seems to be over-browning but is not yet done. When finished, the top should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean or with a few wet crumbs. (If you use a black non-stick coated pan, youll need to drop the temperature to 325 degrees and bake it for a little longer. The cooking time may vary, but the top should be browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out with a few crumbs, not uncooked batter.)
- Let to cool for at least an hour on a wire rack. This cake tastes best when served warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Other posts you might like:
- Coffee Cake with Sour Cream and Blueberries
- Apple Crumb Cake with Sour Cream
- Crumb Cannoli Cake
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
FAQs
Does a cream cheese coffee cake need to be refrigerated?
So, does it need to be refrigerated? Kitchens on Food Network: Indeed, any cake or cupcake with cream cheese icing should always be refrigerated.
What is New York style crumb cake vs coffee cake?
Although some people mistake crumb cake with coffee cake, there is a significant distinction between the two. Coffee cake is often topped with a layer of crumbly streusel, while crumb cake is half crumb and half cake. Both are delectable bakes, but today is all about the crumb!
How long does homemade crumb cake last?
A freshly made crumb cake will normally survive one to three days in the cupboard or on the countertop with good covered. After taking a slice, be sure to wrap it up to keep it fresh.
Why is crumb cake called crumb cake?
Traditional crumb cake originated in central Europe, most likely in Germany, as a flat cake topped with a sweet crumb topping known as streusel (meaning “something strewn” in French).
Can I leave cake with cream cheese out overnight?
If your kitchen is too hot, don’t leave a cake with cream cheese icing out overnight (the sugar will help preserve it). Put it in the fridge!
How do you keep cream cheese frosting from getting runny?
The key to producing sloppy Cream Cheese Frosting is three easy steps:
The cream cheese should be slightly chilled.
After mixing the butter and sugar together, add the cream cheese towards the end.
Just until combined, beat in the cream cheese.
Chill it for 20-30 minutes before piping.
Jun 26, 2022
What are Elvis cakes?
Elvis Presley cake is created using a basic yellow cake mix and pineapple pieces to create an exceptionally delicious cream cheese frosted cake with chopped pecans placed on top. Beginning with a cake mix and progressing to pineapple, homemade cream cheese frosting, and pecans.
What is a Kennedy cake?
It’s constructed with three layers of white cake, raspberry preserves, and raspberry icing, then topped with sweet vanilla buttercream. This cake was eaten by President John F. Kennedy and Jackie as their wedding cake and again at JFK’s Inaugural Ball in 1961.
What is a Sally cake?
History of Sally Lunn Cakes – A huge sponge cake-like bread, more like a bread than a cake, that may be formed into a cake, buns, rolls, or even a loaf of bread using yeast or baking powder.
Should cakes be cold before crumb coating?
Applying a Crumb Coat to a Hot Cake
Although we said it before, a crumb coat is best applied to a chilled cake. Putting icing over a hot or warm cake may cause the icing layer to melt, resulting in a crumb-filled catastrophe.