Good Morning Crumb Coffee Cake & April's Apron Winner

Yes, I'm back...April flew by just like me.  My work schedule has become very busy and I was in Massachusetts for an event, then home a week before heading to Tokyo, Japan for their Hobby & Craft Show.  I've been there previously for the show, but it had been over 6 years ago and I can honestly say, it's gotten twice as busy; if that's possible!

7 year old Gwen is creating a tulip from my Garden Notes!

Just missed Cherry Blossoms in full bloom

Aren't the Kimonos beautiful!

Once back, and very jet lagged, I made a trip to see our grandson and be a part of "Grandparent's Day at the Montessori school he attends.  Home now for a few weeks before heading to our granddaughter's dance recital, so I thought I better get this post in before everyone thinks I've disappeared off the face of the Earth!

Crumb Coffee Cake is one of my favorites for breakfast.  Crumb topping differs from  streusel mainly because the ratio of flour to sugar...crumb requires more flour and the result are pea-sized pieces that sit perfectly on top of a delicious golden cake.  This cake is not too sweet, but very satisfying.

Crumb Coffee Cake
Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Line a 9-inch square baking pan with 2 pieces of aluminum foil, joined and making sure you get the corners tight.  Fold extra foil over to use later to lift crumb cake out of the pan.
 
Crumb Topping:
8 T unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cardamon
1/8 tsp. Kosher salt
1 3/4 cup cake flour ( I use Queen Guinevere Cake Flour by King Arthur Flour)

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  While the butter is cooling, in a medium bowl, mix together the all ingredients except the flour, use your fingers or rubber spatula to mix.  Pour the butter over the sugar and spices and stir together.  Finally, add the flour until mixture resembles a thick, cohesive dough.  

Set aside while making the cake.

Cake:
6T unsalted butter, softened 

I cut the butter into small cubes to soften quicker

1 1/4 cup cake flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

 Using a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients. Add the softened butter, 1 cube at a time on low speed.  Continue mixing until mixture resembles moist crumbs--1-2 minutes.   Add the butter, egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.  

Using a rubber spatula, spread the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Using both hands, roll pieces of topping dough (crumb) between your thumb and forefinger into large pea-sized pieces.  Top the batter with these crumbs, beginning around the edges and continuing towards the middle  Bake until crumbs are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.  Lift the cake out onto a serving board, dust with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares.  Enjoy!

Now, the winner of April's Apron is Miss Jane of http://missjaneblog.blogspot.com/ .  Please email me your address and the apron will be sent to you with love.

I will have May's apron up tomorrow; it's a special one in honor of our daughter, Kelly.  The anniversary of her passing was on May 14th (another reason for not blogging lately) and I really feel like the colors of the apron speak volumes of her life.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

When we lived in the Northeast, I couldn't help but fall in love with New York Crumb Cake; it was like the streusel cakes my mother had made, only better.  The ratio of crumb to cake was 50:50 and that made the difference.

Streusel is made with cold butter cut into the dry ingredients, with the flour measurement being much less than the sugar (either granulated, brown sugar, or both).  Crumb topping is made from melting the butter (almost twice as much used in streusel) and pouring it over the dry ingredients (with the ratio of flour almost doubled to sugar) to create large crumbs.  Typically, both streusel and crumb have cinnamon, but that's where the likeness ends.

I added blueberries to my Crumb Cake this morning to remind me that Spring is just 39 days away and in spite of this harsh weather, "...no Spring skips it's turn!"

Blueberry Crumb Cake
Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Lightly brush Vegetable or Canola oil on a 9" x 12 1/2" baking sheet, then, sprinkle with flour to coat.  Set aside.

Cake:
1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together.

1 large egg
1/2 cup milk (do not use nonfat)
2 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 T Vegetable oil

In a small bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together.

Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients.

Use a rubber spatula to combine the dry and wet until you have a smooth batter. Spoon batter onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with an off set spatula.  Dot the top of the batter with 1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries, pressing lighting and sinking the the blueberries slightly into the batter.

Crumb Topping:
2 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cool slightly

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, using your hands.  Pour the melted butter over and use a fork to mix together.  You just want to make sure you incorporate all the dry ingredients, but don't over mix!

Use your hand to drop the crumbs on top of the batter.

Bake 10 minutes in the preheated over, then rotate the pan and continue baking another 10 minutes.  Test the center with a toothpick to check that it's done.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes.  

Finally, heavily dust the top with confectioners' sugar to give it that actual New York style!

 Yum! Nothing is better than fresh Crumb Cake and the blueberries make it even more special. Enjoy!

 

Apple Crumb Buns

Happy Summer Solstice to everyone!  We're having one of those picture perfect days in the Pacific Northwest that we don't like to talk about because, I've been told, we don't want to encourage anymore people moving here:-D! 

In spite of the beautiful weather, I have a yearning for something "apple," even though it's not one of the seasonal fruits in the market right now.  However, I still bought several Granny Smith's in anticipation of coming up with a recipe that would satisfy that yearn and combine it with one of my favorite morning treats...crumb cake or as my grandmother would have said, "streuselkuchen."

The crumb topping to this breakfast bun is totally different from what a lot of bakers know as streusel; first, the butter is melted and poured over the dry ingredients to form a thick paste that you create "pebbles" from instead of cold butter "cut" into the dry ingredients and secondly, the flour to sugar(s) ratio is a lot more with crumb than it is in streusel.

Apple Crumb Buns
Apple Filling:
3 to 4 tart cooking apples (I used Granny Smith)
2 T Boiled Apple Cider 
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Peel, core, slice, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces the apples. 

One of my "gifts" is that I can peel an apple all in one motion...my parents were so proud! LOL!!

Place the apple chunks in saucepan and add the boiled cider and sugar.  Stir to combine and place over med/low heat, cover the pan until the apples start releasing their juices--about 7 to 8 minutes.

When the apples are tender, transfer to a small bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool while you continue with the other components.

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 3/4 cup Queen Guinevere Cake Flour

In a medium bowl, mix the sugars, salt and cinnamon together using your hands.

Add the melted butter and mix with a fork to combine.

Add the cake flour and stir to combine, making sure all the flour is mixed in.  The mixture will be like a paste.  Set aside to allow the gluten to relax while you make up the cake aspect of this treat.

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  I used crumb cake liners that I found at The Container Store, but you can also get them online...just Google crumb cake papers.  This recipe makes 12 buns.

Cake batter:
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. Tahitian Vanilla Powder
1 3/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 cup milk

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together.  Gradually, add the sugar and continue beating until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla extract and powder (if using) to the batter and mix again.

Combine the dry ingredients and whisk to mix.  Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter, then, the milk and beat on low.  Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat on medium for 1 minute to thoroughly combine.  The batter resembles the thickness of "frosting."

Assembly:

1. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 crumb paper liners.  Use an off-set spatula to spread over the bottom.

2. Place a heaping tablespoon of apple filling in the center of the cake.  Any leftover filling can be used to make an Apple Pie Smoothie!

3. Squeeze the crumb topping mixture together and then break off "pebble" sized pieces and place on top of the fruit and cake.

Bake in the preheated 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean when you pierce the cake.

Allow to cool about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to continue cooling.  As the "piece de resistance," heavily dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

For me, there's nothing better than crumb cake and having an apple filling has just put me in such a good mood, not to mention, Kelly Clarkson's "What Doesn't Kill You, Makes You Stronger" is playing in the background--something I'm learning the hard way. Enjoy!