Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

 
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s time to wake up and smell the coffee cake! A generous mound of rich, cinnamon-scented crumbs tops this classic buttery cake. Whether or not you are a morning person, a slice of this warm Crumb Coffee Cake paired with a steaming mug of coffee or tea is an irresistible excuse to get out of bed.

Crumb Coffee Cake

For crumb topping:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups all-purpose flour

For coffee cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream

DIRECTION:
To make the crumb topping:
Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the melted butter. Add the flour and mix together with your fingertips to form pea-sized crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.

To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform cake pan and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

Place the softened butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/3 of the milk. Continue adding 1/3 of the dry mixture with 1/3 of the milk until fully incorporated. Fold in the sour cream.

Transfer the batter to the prepared 9-inch springform pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula until flat. Top with the crumb topping.

Place the cake into the center rack of the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm or room temperature.