Follow the Crumbs

By Michele

This blog will lead you to a story about a friend and crumb buns.

About forty years ago, I met a lovely co-worker, Fran, who had an office next to mine. I was in an executive suite outfitted with fresh coffee and store-bought or bakery goods each morning. Crumb buns were a given and were also the favorite of most visitors to the coffee station.

Fran visited my office for her morning coffee and sweet treat, then returned in the afternoon for a repeat pick-me-up. The funny thing about Fran was that she only ate the crumbs on the bun or crumb cake. She picked at them as she walked from coffee station to my desk and back to her office and, as a result, there were crumbs everywhere. Now you get the picture!Forty years later, we still laugh about that!

There was always a discussion about who made the best crumb bun/cake. Entenmann’s crumb cake was a favorite until Fran brought in crumb buns from Holtermann’s Bakery (located in Staten Island NY). The crumbs were much higher than the cake they delicately dressed.

Entenmann's Crumb Cake

Holtermann's Crumb Cake

I would agree that Holtermann’s Bakery makes really delicious crumb buns/cake. However, for me, eating Entenmann’s crumb buns always bring back fond childhood memories as it was a staple in our home. My mom and dad occasionally enjoyed it after breakfast with a cup of coffee. Imagine eating cake with breakfast! I can recall crumbs all over the kitchen table, rather than on the floor. Though, if they did end up there, our dog most certainly enjoyed them!

Fran and I still have a special bond and crumb buns always make an appearance when we get together. On a recent visit to Fran’s home, I decided I would make my first crumb cake in celebration of our friendship.

I looked up many recipes online and took some elements from each and went to work. I opted for a light cake and mile high crumbs.

Topping Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 cup light brown sugar (packed)

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted – plus more if needed)

3 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation

1. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter, then gently mix in the flour, being careful not to overmix (you just want to moisten the flour and mix until there is no visible dryness).

2. Squeeze a handful of the topping into your hand. If it doesn’t clump together, add a little more melted butter until it does. Set aside.

Tricks to the Best Crumb Topping:

• Follow the order of ingredients. First, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. Stir in melted butter. Finally, use a fork to lightly mix in the flour. If you add the flour before the butter, the flour will absorb it all before the sugar can.

• Do not over-mix. You want a crumbly topping, so don’t over-mix the ingredients after you add the flour. If you mix everything too much, you’ll end up with paste instead of big crumbles.

3. Press the topping into the cake. When you add the crumble topping on top of the cake batter, gently press it down into the cake layer so it sticks

Cake Ingredients

1¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

confectioners’ sugar for topping, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9½-inch round pan and line with parchment paper. Set pan aside.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.

3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.

4. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. The mixture may look curdled, but that’s okay. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until smooth. Do not over-mix. The batter will be thick, creamy, and sticky.

5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Top with crumb topping. Using a silicone spatula or the back of a large spoon, press the crumb topping tightly down onto the cake so it sticks.

6. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours and begin checking at 45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to slightly cool for at least 30-45 minutes before cutting. If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar before slicing and serving. Use a sifter/fine mesh sieve to dust the confectioners’ sugar.

   
   

This recipe was a real hit! Fran’s first bite of the mile-high crumbs elicited a moan along with a fallen crumb that rested at her feet. We looked at each other and broke out in laughter. I hope to follow her crumbs for years to come.