New York Crumb Cake

1128 Ratings
  • 5 204
  • 4 236
  • 3 401
  • 2 226
  • 1 61

New York Crumb Cake is quite a popular dessert at Foster's Markets in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. Owner Sara Foster estimates that her shops sell three to four pounds of crumb cake every day, mostly to transplanted New Yorkers.

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

Yield:
Makes one 9-by-12 1/2-inch cake
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Place rack in center of oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly brush a 9-by-12 1/2-inch baking pan with canola oil, dust with flour, and tap to remove excess. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together egg, milk, canola oil, and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.

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  • Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over flour mixture, and toss with a rubber spatula until large crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over batter.

  • Transfer pan to oven, and bake, rotating pan after 10 minutes. Continue baking until a cake tester comes out clean, about 10 minutes more.

  • Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Using a serrated knife or bench scraper, cut into 3-inch squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Reviews (78)

1128 Ratings
  • 5 204
  • 4 236
  • 3 401
  • 2 226
  • 1 61
Martha Stewart Member
08/02/2020
Perfection!
Martha Stewart Member
12/13/2019
This is the best crumb cake I have ever made. I always double the ingredients and cook for 45-50 minutes. But I would not change a thing about this cake. There is nothing else to say I get requests for this cake every time we have a gathering. It’s always a hit.
Martha Stewart Member
01/05/2019
This is absolutely the best crumb/coffee cake I have ever tasted. And it is SO simple. You can whip this up in minutes with ingredients you always have around. I halved the recipe and baked it in an 8x8 pan, and it took 20 minutes. My husband is VERY happy.
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Martha Stewart Member
12/21/2018
Baking time incorrect. Takes at least double the baking time...in a correct temperature oven. All else would make a grand NY Crumb Cake.
Martha Stewart Member
12/10/2018
This is wonderfully delicious and a real impressive crowd-pleaser. I would have given more stars, but it NEVER bakes in 20 minutes, not even close. I use convection bake 330 and still it is in for 30 minutes.
Martha Stewart Member
09/12/2018
I make this recipe all the time for friends and family gatherings. Everyone raves about it.! However, I bake it for 40 minutes not 20. The first time I made it didn't look right, so I left it in the oven a bit longer. It comes out perfect with a 40 minute bake time. (After I mix the crumbs I put them in the refrigerator for @ 30 minutes to firm them up.)
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Martha Stewart Member
05/28/2017
This is exactly what a New York crumb cake should be-a thin layer of cake with a thicker crumb topping. I follow the recipe as written, and except for it needing more baking time than stated (more like 30 minutes,) it always turns out great.
Martha Stewart Member
01/21/2017
Our family has used a recipe like this for as long as I can remember (and I'm 72). This is not a high-rising, fluffy cake. It is not meant to be. I divide the recipe between two 8" square pans so that I can freeze one for later after baking. Just follow the recipe as shown and I'll bet you'll enjoy the result.
Martha Stewart Member
09/11/2016
I followed the directions but the crumb topping was very moist. I rechecked the ingredients twice and watched the video twice. What went wrong? It's in the oven so I'll see what comes out.
Martha Stewart Member
09/11/2016
I followed the directions but the crumb topping was very moist. I rechecked the ingredients twice and watched the video twice. What went wrong? It's in the oven so I'll see what comes out.
Martha Stewart Member
08/15/2016
This recipe is fabulous and I've been making it for years. I make it for family, neighbors & friends and everyone loves it. I always have requests to make it for social gatherings & school events and for a copy of the recipe. I've substituted vegetable oil and fat free milk for whole when needed and it comes out great. I use a 9x13 cake pan and it is not dry and perfect with a cup of coffee/tea or a glass of milk. This is a staple recipe in our home and will be passed on for years to come.
Martha Stewart Member
07/30/2016
This is exactly how I remember the bakery crumb cakes from the bakeries in NY. I live in TX now and have been making this recipe for years. I don't modify it at all.
Martha Stewart Member
07/16/2016
I think the texture and presentation of this cake was just fine however it was very bland and just not sweet enough and for me to say that is huge considering I do not like super sweet cakes. I used an 8x8 pan for thicker pieces and the cook time appears to be way off as it took nearly 40 min on 325 degrees. I would make it again but this recipe needs modifications to enhance sweetness especially in the cake part. For a MS recipe I was disappointed because they are usually on point.
Martha Stewart Member
03/07/2016
I just made this for the second time and made the changes I felt were needed. It was lackluster, but had good texture. The changes I made were: cut the flour for the crumb topping down BY 1/4 cup, upped the brown sugar for the topping UP by 1/4 cup, and upped the cinnamon to 2-1/2 teaspoons. For the cake body, I dropped the vanilla BY 1/2 teaspoon and ADDED 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. Much better, and now the flavor stands up to the wonderful texture of the cake it (which it already had)
Martha Stewart Member
02/06/2016
What I noticed is the recipe directions state to put the oven rack in the center of the oven but on the video, the baker stated to put the cake on the top rack. I think this would cause the cake to bake at a higher temperature. I advise you try baking on top rack. Cake is delicious!
Martha Stewart Member
12/16/2015
I've made this recipe time and time again and it always receives RAVE reviews! It is easy to make and comes out delicious! People beg me to make it for them!
Martha Stewart Member
11/13/2015
I have been making this for years.....it's the B-E-S-T, and those who disagree have never had true NY Crumb cake before. What I tried, because there are just 2 of us, is to halve this wonderful recipe. It worked perfectly. Still baked the 10 rotate 10 method, but I used a 9" spring form pan so I could display it more beautifully. Perfect in every way! Thanks Martha!
Martha Stewart Member
10/19/2015
Being from ny I am always grabbing food from local delis and naturally, I have to test all crumb cakes. So this weekend, my girlfriend and I made this delicious crumb cake. And trust me, it was delicious! The directions where super easy too! We had some trouble during the baking, but most likely it was my oven causing all the fuss :( Not to worry tho, my girlfriend sank her teeth into the problem and wouldn't let anything stop us from making the best crumb cake ever!
Martha Stewart Member
04/12/2015
The recipe was easy, the cake delicious. .
Martha Stewart Member
03/12/2015
I made this for my co-workers and they all loved it. Having moved down South from NJ I know first hand what Crumb cake tastes like from New York and this tasted more like a store bought cake which I loved. The crumbs were so good. I doubled the recipe because I new it would not make enough for all of us. One of the best cakes I have ever made. Will definitely make this one again.
Martha Stewart Member
02/07/2015
I can't believe the negative reviews. I have been making this cake for several years, exactly as the recipe is written. It always turns out delicious and everyone loves it. It is more crumb than cake which is exactly what I was looking for. I would never make more of the cake batter, that definitely would change the effect I was looking for.
Martha Stewart Member
10/11/2014
This recipe was a hit & everyone loved it!! I made a few changes & it came out perfect. I increased the cake recipe by half & added a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, & almond extract to the batter. The batter was quite thick so I added a small amount of melted butter, while blending, to get a thinner consistency. Cold butter works better when making the crumb topping & I sprinkled some granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, & nutmeg on top before baking & I had to bake it for about 1.5 hours.
Martha Stewart Member
10/04/2014
Reading the comments of the other two reviewers, I made these changes: I doubled the cake batter portion of the recipe. I also used half and half in place of the milk, hoping for more richness. Twenty minutes of baking time was no where near enough; I ended up baking it for 45-50 minutes, as it was a very wet batter and the crumb topping was on the wet/soft side as well. The crumb topping could have used more flavor/more cinnamon, and cold butter probably would have worked better.
Martha Stewart Member
06/22/2014
I made this in a smaller pan (8x10 inch),half the recipe for the topping, and it was perfect.
Martha Stewart Member
06/03/2014
Didn't work. Way too little batter and way too much crumbly stuff for the top. So much that the batter never baked. Could the flour amounts in batter and topping be swtiched mistakenly? That might actually solve this. I looked around the web for other iterations of this recipe but they read the same. I just dumped the whole thing in the trash.
Martha Stewart Member
06/03/2014
I ended up with a whole lot of crumb topping and not too much cake. Is that the desired effect? I just took it out of the oven and I'm not quite sure I did this right.
Martha Stewart Member
05/04/2014
This worked out really well for me, and have a little tip for anyone having problems with spreading out the dough: put a little olive oil on your palms, then dust with flour. It makes moving the dough so much easier and olive oil is great for your skin!
Martha Stewart Member
02/20/2014
This is a wonderful recipe. It tastes so much better than the brand name version you can buy at the store. I only make it once a year for my annual family reunion (25 people and 5 babies at my house for 4 days--loads of fun!). I double the recipe (and the size of the cake pan) and they gobble it up. Make it exactly as written--no substitutions or changes--and you won't be disappointed. This one is a winner (as are most of Martha's recipes).
Martha Stewart Member
01/08/2014
This cake turned out pretty well...as a breakfast dish I think it is great, but it isn't quite sweet enough to be a traditional dessert cake. I think next time I will add a couple of tablespoons of white sugar to the topping & maybe a little fresh ground nutmeg.
Martha Stewart Member
11/05/2013
I would make this again. I made a small mistake the first time- I pressed the crumble topping into the batter a bit because there was SO little batter on the bottom, I thought it would be totally dry when done. But it ended up making the topping a tad pastey tasting. The cake underneath was really moist and yummy though. The topping is also super dense (with all that butter) and had a 50/50 ratio of cake to topping. It's good! No problems with all that baking powder :)
Martha Stewart Member
09/29/2013
Just finished making this and it is amazing! I can't believe how good it is! Thank you for this recipe! *my waistline won't be thank you but I am ! and my children! lol
Martha Stewart Member
09/14/2013
I was very hesitant to make this cake due to all the negative reviews, but I made it anyway. Those people writing the bad reviews must not know how to cook, this cake is amazing!! It is definitely better the next day, so I would suggest making it ahead of time. You can't go wrong! Thanks again Martha for another fabulous recipe,
Martha Stewart Member
06/30/2013
Almost ready to taste. Lots of positives and negatives. One thing I've noticed is that the experienced bakers are NOT impressed. Just an observation but maybe the usual non bakers don't know any better? I did use the required baking powder as well despite how "much" is in the recipe. I have a dairy allergy so I substituted earth balance for the butter. Hopefully it won't be too soft because of that. Also used coconut oil instead of canola. Mine didn't rise that much so we'll see...
Martha Stewart Member
06/19/2013
I was very nervous about trying this cake because 2 1/2 tsp. of baking powder seemed like a lot to use with 1 1/2 cups of flour. I followed the recipe exactly except I added an extra egg white to make up for having a smallish large egg. This cake was *fantastic*!! I made the cake by hand making a point not to over mix it. It is by far the best crumb cake I have ever had or made. This will definitely be a go-to recipe for me.
Martha Stewart Member
06/19/2013
I was very nervous about trying this cake because 2 1/2 tsp. of baking powder seemed like a lot to use with 1 1/2 cups of flour. I followed the recipe exactly except I added an extra egg white to make up for having a smallish large egg. This cake was *fantastic*!! I made the cake by hand making a point not to over mix it. It is by far the best crumb cake I have ever had or made. This will definitely be a go-to recipe for me.
Martha Stewart Member
04/23/2013
This is one of the best New York style crumb cakes I have ever made. No matter how many times I make it, always gets great reviews. I don't change anything and make it as Martha has perfected it.
Martha Stewart Member
03/10/2013
this recipe is terrible. not only did I grow up in NY eating crumb cake but I am a baker by profession, and there is no way you can add 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder to 1 1/2 cups of flour without making a rubbery mess. I tried it even though it didn't sound right, and this is not an edible cake.
Martha Stewart Member
12/27/2012
I made this for Christmas morning and it was fantastic. It's a rich, buttery cake and it's pretty dense, just like it should be! I found that it was even better the next day - I recommend making it the night before and covering it tightly to enjoy the next morning.
Martha Stewart Member
11/30/2012
I made this recipe just this evening. The only substitution I made was to use 1/4 c. milk and 1/4 c. buttermilk. When the dough came out super thick, I splashed a few spoonfuls more milk in. It still looked incredibly thick, like bread dough. I went for it anyways in 9x4 pan, cooked for 60 minutes due to pan size. Was I ever surprised out how much the cake rose! Came out perfect, light and moist, served with raspberry preserves.
Martha Stewart Member
11/08/2012
Good but this is better. In the ingredients list add an extra 1 large tablespoon sugar to he 1/2 cup, use 1 cup milk instead of 1/2 cup. For crumb topping , along with the brown sugar add a tablespoons white sugar and use 2 big teaspoons cinnamon. I made these adjustments and the cake is fantastic.
Martha Stewart Member
11/02/2012
I absolutely love this recipe, it reminds me of the Entenmann's NY Style Crumb Cake.
Martha Stewart Member
09/20/2012
Really quick & easy cake! I used a 9x13 pan w/ parchement paper. I followed the directions (using 1.5 c. of flour in base& reserving 2.5 c. for topping), the whisking directions were vague, so first I put the egg in the stand mixer w/whisk, set it on high, then measured vanilla, added it, then the canola oil, added it, by the time I measured & added the milk, the egg/vanilla/canola oil mixture had been whipped on high for about 5 min. Then folded the dry ingredients until incorporated.
Martha Stewart Member
03/13/2012
This particular crumb cake was good but not great. I've come across a few recipes but nothing comes close to the crumb cakes made by http://crumbcakecreations.com. Based out of NJ, this place makes some incredible varieties of BIG crumbed crumb cakes.
Martha Stewart Member
01/29/2012
Adrella the recipe says baking powder NOT baking soda. Maybe you should try reading the recipe probably.
Martha Stewart Member
12/27/2011
So sorry, I do not even find her good Classic Crumb Cake recipe on this site (unless I'm missing something, I tried to find it), I have it in one of her books though...the one here on the site is gluten free or something? That is not the one I've used from her book. And it is really wonderful!
Martha Stewart Member
12/27/2011
I have made Martha's crumb cake recipe before, and it was wonderful, I couldn't find my recipe and used this one last week, it was not very good. I found my recipe this morning and was so disappointed i used this one, the recipe that is great is her Classic Crumb Cake, makes me wonder..maybe the bakers that are raving about this one really used the other one?? If you want a good crumb cake, try the other one. Big difference!
Martha Stewart Member
12/25/2011
You have to be kidding me! 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda!?! I bit into this and tasted nothing but baking soda. Thanks for ruining my Christmas dessert for the fam. I used this because I couldn't find my normal recipe from Rachael Ray. I will never use this site again.
Martha Stewart Member
11/16/2011
Wow, this is the perfect NY crumb cake recipe. Delicious! I did have to extend the baking time by 10 minutes. Some of the butter in the topping melts to create an incredibly moist, buttery cake. My daughters are crazy about this cake!
Martha Stewart Member
10/23/2011
I don't get the negative comments either, I have made this many times and I bake for a living and this is a go to recipe for me. The only change I made was to make the cake part 1/2 more and I spread a thin layer of homemade fruit spread on the cake before add the crumbs. Delicious!!
Martha Stewart Member
10/16/2011
GREAT! Recipe. Have made many times and shared it with many. Can't understand negative comment. Grandkids ASK for it. Not to mention the BIG 'KIDS'! It is a go to recipe for breakfast. Wonderful for during the holidays. Easy, inexpensive, and impressive. It also is very moist and stays well if covered. Try it you'll like it!!
Martha Stewart Member
08/28/2011
sorry martha, this was a bad recipe. cooking times were bad, and the topping wasn't quite sticky enough, just didn't pull together like it should.
Martha Stewart Member
08/25/2011
Fantastic cake....not sure how anyone would possibly have a negative review....I am an avid baker...so easy...so delicious...one of the best I have ever eaten!!!
Martha Stewart Member
05/27/2011
By far the very best breakfast EVER for my family (including 4 picky kids!) Everyone loves it, it is easy to make (and I am not at all a baker nor profess any ease in a kitchen). It's a little hard to spread the batter to cover the whole bottom of the pan, but with a little practice, it works well. We eat this for breakfast about once per month!
Martha Stewart Member
02/20/2011
This was okay...I won't say it's by any means good or that I'll make it again. I made it because I've been wanting a yummy coffee cake recipe with the crumbs like in the picture. I had to have it!! However I was so disappointed! I feel like there was a lack of cinnamon flavor, the crumbs weren't crunchy (probably need to cook hotter), and it wasn't sweet enough for me. I could see why it was dense for some people due to the egg yokes which you don't see often cake recipes.
Martha Stewart Member
01/21/2011
terrible cake. I have been making crumb cake for at least 30 years and decided to try this recipe. No way is this a New York Crumb cake. Ingredient amounts all wrong including the oven temp and baking time. Never would I put this on my catering menu!
Martha Stewart Member
12/27/2010
This was okay, but I've had better. Don't think I would make it again unless I was in a pinch for something quick.
Martha Stewart Member
12/16/2010
Just finished making this delicious cake diabetic style. No real sugars and only unsalted butter. Fantastic! it was surprisingly moist and full of flavor thank you for posting this.
Martha Stewart Member
12/15/2010
We have made this cake and it has come out perfect every time. We always tested the center and sides for doneness and baked longer, if necesary. Reminds me of the old time bakery cakes in NY when I was little.
Martha Stewart Member
11/19/2010
I agree w/ hines192 I too have nooo problem following recipes ... I don't know what happened w/ this one. And after reading she made it twicw w/ the same results I'm just going to find another recipe. The cake was still doughy in the middle but crunchy/hard on the out side. Oh and the "crumbles" was more like cokkie dough when I mixed them. Despite all that, it does have a great crumb cake taste but the texture SUCKS!!!
Martha Stewart Member
11/19/2010
I agree w/ hines192 I too have nooo problem following recipes ... I don't know what happened w/ this one. And after reading she made it twicw w/ the same results I'm just going to find another recipe. The cake was still doughy in the middle but crunchy/hard on the out side. Oh and the "crumbles" was more like cokkie dough when I mixed them. Despite all that, it does have a great crumb cake taste but the texture SUCKS!!!
Martha Stewart Member
05/15/2010
this cake is very good... i had do make the batter twice since i did not read the instructions and added 4 cups flour to the batter... then realized the flour was to be split between the batter and crumb topping... don't let the thin layer of batter fool you it puffs up and makes a nice layer of cake for all the crumb topping... lots of crumbs...and after it bakes it is not too much.... yummy... im going to try this in cupcake tins next time... enjoy...
Martha Stewart Member
04/24/2010
I've tried to make this twice and both times it came out horrible. Way too dense and didn't really cook through. Very thick mixture. I don't usually have trouble following recipes but I'm giving up on this one.
Martha Stewart Member
04/21/2010
When I was a child in Long Island my Dad would bring me home crumb cake from the bakery on Sat. morning. This tastes just like those from years ago. The recipe is great and tastes even better. All who eat it love it.
Martha Stewart Member
04/10/2010
2-1/2 t of baking powder seems like a lot... are you sure??
Martha Stewart Member
04/07/2010
I made this cake for the first time today. My 5 year old liked it so much, she asked to have this cake on her birthday.
Martha Stewart Member
03/26/2010
This is our most favorite coffee cake recipe! I've been making it for years--and lost the recipe...so glad to have stumbled across it again!
Martha Stewart Member
03/13/2010
My 11 year old daughter was executing the recipe, while I observed. It calls for a 9x12 pan but there wasn't enough batter to fill the pan. I transferred it to a 8x8 and it was perfect but now we had too much crumble. We added enough to fill the 8x8 and had to tossed the rest. It took a little over 25 minutes to cook. All in all it was an ok cake. I was glad it came out ok because I didn't want this experience to prevent my daughter from baking but we won't be making this recipe again.
Martha Stewart Member
02/25/2010
I took the advice of the previous commenter and cut the flour in the topping. And since I discovered too late that I didn't have enough butter, I made the topping with 1.5 sticks, 1 3/4 cup flour, 1.5 cup brown sugar, and 2 tsp. cinnamon. I also didn't have any canola oil so I substituted vegetable oil, which was fine. I thought it was perfect. The whole thing held together really well, too.
Martha Stewart Member
01/17/2010
I don't think this crumb cake is all that great. The canola oil made it dense and the overall taste was weird. I would replace the canola oil with butter or possibly even vegetable oil.As far as the crumb topping I would lessen the flour add more sugar and more cinnamon. The topping taste pasty with all that flour. It definitely took more than 20 minutes to bake. More like a half an hour.Not impressed with this recipe.
Martha Stewart Member
11/10/2009
what is the total baking time?
Martha Stewart Member
02/14/2009
This is a great, quick and easy recipe. It is my 7 year old son's favorite! I just made it heart shaped yesterday for Valentine's Day. It made one larger and one medium heart. YUM! Good quality cinnamon makes a big difference and you won't have to add more..
Martha Stewart Member
02/06/2009
This is the best coffee cake I've ever had. I made it this morning for a breakfast get together and everyone loved it. Will make again and angain. Was so easy. I did add more cinnamon though as commented on in a previous note.
Martha Stewart Member
11/29/2008
Correction to my previous comment: cake should be tightly covered, not lightly covered!
Martha Stewart Member
11/23/2008
This is absolutely wonderful crumb cake although, I must confess, I increase the cinnamon in the topping to 2 tsps. I grew up in Nutley, as did Martha, and we may have gotten our crumb cake at the same bakery. This recipe improves upon the original. I prefer to serve it after it has sat in the pan, lightly covered, for one day; it holds together better. I often freeze it in small pkgs; it's every bit as good when defrosted. I'm known a a great crumb-cake-baker thanks to Martha!
Martha Stewart Member
09/23/2008
I thought the crumb cake lacked some flavor and I didn't like the crumb topping, it was to soggy for me
Martha Stewart Member
02/15/2008
This is definitely one of my favorite recipes. I give it 5 stars. Where ever I take it, it is a favorite!! Easy to make also
Martha Stewart Member
02/06/2008
I have been baking this recipe for about 5 years and it is a family favorite. I have taken it to Sunday School and brunches and it is always a hit.
Martha Stewart Member
12/14/2007
I have made this cake numerous times and my family loves it depending on the weather at times I have th add a pinch more liquid so it would not be to dry. My daughter usually requests I double the crumb topping
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