Here are classic, bakery-style recipes for Crumb Cake and Babka—both rich, cozy, and perfect with coffee ☕🍰
Classic New York–Style Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk or sour cream
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 pan.
- Make cake batter: Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Mix dry ingredients separately, then add to batter alternating with milk. - Spread batter evenly in pan.
- Make crumbs: Mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter until chunky.
- Top generously with crumbs (press lightly).
- Bake 40–45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool slightly before slicing.
Tip: More crumbs than cake is the right way.
Chocolate Babka (Old-World Style)
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
Filling
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder or chocolate spread
- Optional: chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Egg Wash
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Make dough:
Mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add milk and eggs. Knead in butter until smooth.
Cover and let rise 1–1½ hours until doubled. - Roll out dough into a rectangle.
- Spread filling evenly. Sprinkle chocolate if using.
- Roll tightly, slice lengthwise, twist strands together.
- Place in loaf pan, cover, rise 30 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash.
- Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes until golden.
- Cool before slicing.
Optional syrup (bakery-style shine):
Heat 1/4 cup sugar + 1/4 cup water. Brush over hot babka.
Want variations?
- Cinnamon crumb cake
- Apple crumb cake
- Nutella babka
- Cinnamon-sugar babka
Just tell me which one you want next 😊
