Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake

A classic homemade crumb cake made with a rich yeasted dough and topped with a buttery cinnamon crumb topping. This traditional recipe features a tender cake base and generous layer of sweet, crumbly streusel.

12 servings

4 hr 59 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
•1 cup warm whole milk
•½ cup sugar
•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•3¾ cups all-purpose flour
•1½ teaspoons salt
•2 large eggs
•1½ teaspoons vanilla
•¾ cup unsalted butter
•1½ cups all-purpose flour
•¾ cup sugar
•1½ teaspoons cinnamon
•¾ cup cold unsalted butter
•1 teaspoon vanilla
•1 piece stand mixer with paddle attachment

Cooking Instructions

1.
Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup warm milk, and 1 tablespoon sugar in bowl of mixer until yeast is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
5 min
2.
Stir together lemon juice and remaining 3/4 cup milk and let stand until curdled, 1 to 2 minutes.
2 min
3.
Add 3 3/4 cups flour to yeast mixture along with salt, eggs, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and mix at low speed until just combined. Add curdled milk and beat at medium speed until a dough forms. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, beating, then continue to beat until dough is silky and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.) Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
120 min
4.
Pulse together topping ingredients in a food processor until many large clumps form. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, until ready to use.
5 min
5.
Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking dish or pan.
2 min
6.
Stir dough several times with a rubber scraper to release air, then spread evenly in baking dish.
5 min
7.
Sprinkle dough with half of topping, then cover dish with kitchen towel and let dough rise again in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
90 min
8.
Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
10 min
9.
Sprinkle remaining topping over top of cake and bake until topping is golden, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack until barely warm, then cut into squares.
60 min

Ingredients

•2½ teaspoons active dry yeast

•1 cup warm whole milk

•½ cup sugar

•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

•3¾ cups all-purpose flour

•1½ teaspoons salt

•2 large eggs

•1½ teaspoons vanilla

•¾ cup unsalted butter

•1½ cups all-purpose flour

•¾ cup sugar

•1½ teaspoons cinnamon

•¾ cup cold unsalted butter

•1 teaspoon vanilla

•1 piece stand mixer with paddle attachment

Cooking Instructions

Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup warm milk, and 1 tablespoon sugar in bowl of mixer until yeast is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

5 min

Stir together lemon juice and remaining 3/4 cup milk and let stand until curdled, 1 to 2 minutes.

2 min

Add 3 3/4 cups flour to yeast mixture along with salt, eggs, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and mix at low speed until just combined. Add curdled milk and beat at medium speed until a dough forms. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, beating, then continue to beat until dough is silky and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.) Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

120 min

Pulse together topping ingredients in a food processor until many large clumps form. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, until ready to use.

5 min

Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking dish or pan.

2 min

Stir dough several times with a rubber scraper to release air, then spread evenly in baking dish.

5 min

Sprinkle dough with half of topping, then cover dish with kitchen towel and let dough rise again in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

90 min

Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

10 min

Sprinkle remaining topping over top of cake and bake until topping is golden, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack until barely warm, then cut into squares.

60 min