Date Crumb Cake Food

OVER-THE-TOP CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• For the streusel: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Stir together the pecans, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and butter in a large bowl until wet, sandy and combined. Spread 3/4 cup on a baking sheet (set the remaining aside for the cake). Bake until the streusel is set and crispy, about 15 minutes. Break up the pieces with a spatula and let cool completely in the pan, about 30 minutes. Break up the pieces into crumbs with your hands and set aside.
• For the cake: Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with butter. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream; begin and end with the flour and beat until just incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it will be very thick) and smooth with a silicone spatula. Press 15 mini doughnuts or 6 regular doughnuts into the batter and sprinkle over the reserved un-baked streusel topping. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen any streusel that has baked on. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour, then invert onto a serving platter to cool completely, about 2 hours more.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until well combined. Add the vanilla, beating until well combined.
• Assemble the cake: To make a glaze, mix the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Use a serrated knife to trim the edges from the short sides of the cake to make sharp corners. Cut the cake in half crosswise.
• Put a cake half on a cake stand or serving platter. Reserve 1/4 cup frosting and spread the remaining frosting on the top of the cake, then place the other piece of cake on top. Cut the remaining 4 mini doughnuts or 3 regular doughnuts in half and spread some of the reserved frosting on the cut ends. Put the doughnuts on the top of the cake around the edge, cut-side down. Sprinkle the reserved streusel on the center of the cake and drizzle with the glaze. Refrigerate to set, about 2 hours. Bring to room temperature, about 1 hour, before serving.

MAURO APPLE CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• For the crumb topping: Whisk together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, apple pie spice and salt. Add the cake flour and stir with a wooden spoon until dough-like. Set aside in the fridge to cool for 20 minutes.
• When cool, use your fingers to break apart the mixture into large pea-sized crumbs. Hold in the refrigerator.
• For the sauteed apples: Heat a small saucepot over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until melted. Add the apples, brown sugar, apple pie spice and salt and saute until the apples are slightly browned and al dente, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Using 2 sheets of parchment, create an overlapping cross in the pan to cradle the cake and make it easy to remove once baked.
• Prepare the cake batter according to the instructions on the box. Add the cake batter to the prepared baking dish, then "stud" in a layer of the cooled apples. Bake for about 20 minutes, then remove the baking dish and carefully spread the crumb topping into an even layer over the cake. Bake until the crumbs are golden and a cake tester comes out clean, another 10 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 40 minutes. Once cooled, lift out of the pan using the parchment cradle. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a spoon, stir in the cake flour one cup at a time, until the mixture forms a cohesive dough, like a very thick and clumpy cookie dough. As you add the last cup of flour, the mixture will be difficult to stir, so feel free to ditch the spoon and use your hands to mix it in. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack to the middle position. Grease a 9 x 13-in cake pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl as necessary, until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition (don't worry if the batter looks a little curdled at this point). Beat in the vanilla and scrape the bowl to make sure everything is evenly combined. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream (half of the flour/all of the sour cream/then the remaining half of the flour), mixing on low speed with each addition, until just combined.
• Spread the cake batter evenly in the cake pan (it will only come about ¾ inch up the sides of the pan). Top the batter with the streusel crumbs, using your fingers to break it apart and form it into roughly ½-inch chunks. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool fully on a rack. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares to serve. Cover the cake with aluminum foil and store at room temperature; it will keep nicely for up to 3 days. To keep the cake fresher longer, store it in the refrigerator but bring it to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

NEW YORK CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 325°F Lightly brush a 9-by-12 1/2-inch baking pan with canola oil, dust with flour, and tap to remove excess. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a second bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, canola oil, and vanilla.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• Pour melted butter over flour mixture, and toss with a rubber spatula until large crumbs form.
• Top batter evenly with crumb topping.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake tests done.
• Turn the pan once during baking.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.
• Dust with confectioners' sugar.
• Using a serrated knife or bench scraper, cut into 3-inch squares, and serve. Note: This cake can be stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

GLAZED RASPBERRY CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, ginger, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between, and beat until combined. Mix in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat on high speed for a few seconds just until smooth. Spread the batter in the baking dish.
• Arrange the raspberries evenly over the batter, pressing them in. Dollop the jam in the empty spaces, then gently smooth with a spoon so the surface is evenly covered with jam and raspberries.
• Make the crumb topping: Stir the brown sugar, flour, oats, ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingers to form a sandy mixture with small to medium clumps. Sprinkle evenly over the raspberry layer. Bake until puffed and set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs and a little bit of jam, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely, at least 1 hour. Remove from the pan and cut into 12 squares.
• Make the glaze: Put the confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl; add the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over the cake and let set.

GINGERBREAD CRUMB DUMP CAKE

Steps:

• For the crumb topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers until it is no longer floury and crumbs form; clump them about the size of large peas. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes before using.
• For the dump cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
• Fill the prepared pan with the apples and evenly top with the cake mix. Drizzle the melted butter over the top, trying to cover as much of the mix as possible. Evenly sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake until set and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

NEW YORK CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• Place rack in center of oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly brush a 9-by-12 1/2-inch baking pan with canola oil, dust with flour, and tap to remove excess. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together egg, milk, canola oil, and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over flour mixture, and toss with a rubber spatula until large crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over batter.
• Transfer pan to oven, and bake, rotating pan after 10 minutes. Continue baking until a cake tester comes out clean, about 10 minutes more.
• Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Using a serrated knife or bench scraper, cut into 3-inch squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.