Aunt Lillian's Crumb Cake
Aunt Lillian's Crumb Cake. My Aunt Lillian made her fabulous crumb cake every weekend when we came to visit. She created this recipe back in the 40s. Knowing my father loved it, she shared the recipe with my mother, who passed it on to me. I serve it as a coffee cake for Sunday brunch or for dessert. -Rose Gearheard, Phoenix, Oregon
Aunt Lillian's Crumb Cake. My Aunt Lillian made her fabulous crumb cake every weekend when we came to visit. She created this recipe back in the 40s. Knowing my father loved it, she shared the recipe with my mother, who passed it on to me. I serve it as a coffee cake for Sunday brunch or for dessert. -Rose Gearheard, Phoenix, Oregon
- Carbohydrate 17.7054887471562 g
- Cholesterol 130.176666707534 mg
- Fat 36.4612774010141 g
- Fiber 1.19318032926845 g
- Protein 5.06087410114219 g
- Saturated Fat 21.5536034075548 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (117g)
- Sodium 9808.66394615124 mg
- Sugar 16.5123084178878 g
- Trans Fat 2.69220676746389 g
- Calories 413 calories
Step-by-step
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla; mix well.
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
- Spread half into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.
- Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle half over batter.
- Carefully spread remaining batter on top; sprinkle with remaining topping.
- Gently swirl topping through batter with a knife.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool.
Standard baking pans measuring nine inches square work best for this batter, allowing the thick sour-cream-based dough to rise evenly without collapsing in the center. Incorporating sour cream introduces lactic acid, which reacts directly with the baking soda to create tender crumb structures while adding rich moisture.
Judging Doneness Without a Thermometer
Traditional cakes require visual and tactile cues rather than digital probes to signal readiness in the oven. Insert a wooden toothpick into the deepest part of the center, specifically targeting the middle zones where structural collapse is most likely. A clean extraction indicates the starches have fully set and trapped the moisture from the dairy. Watch for the edges of the cake to pull away slightly from the metal walls of the pan. The top should spring back firmly under light fingertip pressure without leaving a permanent indentation.
- If the toothpick emerges with wet batter clinging to it, return the pan to the 350 degree oven for three-minute increments.
- Over-baking leads to a dry crumb, so monitor the surface closely once the timer reaches thirty-five minutes.
- Allow the baked cake to rest completely on a wire rack before slicing to let the interior fats and sugars stabilize.
