Cake Fridays

Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Fourth installment in the buttermilk project (I haven't forgotten to use up that liquid gold) and maybe my favorite recipe thus far.  

I've tasted many crumb cakes in my day.  Chocolate, vanilla, marble, blueberry, and the list goes on and on.  I've had crumb cakes with a light dusting of buttery cinnamon and sugar (like this one) and I've had crumb cakes with cinnamon and sugar encrusted buttery boulders that are so big you have to pick them off with your fingers.

At first, I wasn't sure if this cake's topping was too dusty, but as the days wore on, the butter started to settle, thus forming layers:

the base is your moist buttermilk cake sweetened with brown sugar and vanilla, flecks of cinnamon running throughout

3/4 of the way up is where you'll find the rich, almost wet butter layer

and then what catches everyone's eye is the soft, sandy topper

This settling made the granular topping so moist and pleasing to the palate.  It's a simple, delicate cake with balance and structure.  It's not too rich (1/4 C butter is just right), it's not too sweet (2/3 C brown sugar, 1 t vanilla, and 3/4 t cinnamon is perfect), and when frozen or reheated, it keeps its shape beautifully.  I think my Irish tea cake has some serious competition!

Cinnamon Crumb Cake

1 1/4 C flour
2/3 C brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t salt
1/4 C chilled stick of butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 C buttermilk
1 t vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8 inch round cake pan with non stick spray.  Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife.  Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Reserve 1/2 cup of flour mixture for topping; set aside.  Combine remaining flour mixture, baking powder and baking soda; add the buttermilk, vanilla and egg to flour mixture.  Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well blended (I mixed the batter by hand).  Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan.  Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles.  Sprinkle reserved 1/2 C flour mixture over batter.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.  Cool on a wire rack.  Enjoy.