Sourdough Crumb Cake

Our Sourdough Crumb Cake is the perfect way to use your sourdough discard and turn it into a delightful cake with a perfect blend of flavors and textures.

Indulge in the irresistible flavor of New York Style Crumb Cake, a culinary classic renowned for its decadent crumb topping and moist cake base. But with a twist! We’ve added our gut-healthy sourdough discard to make this even more flavorful without sour cream, and it worked beautifully as we can’t have sour cream due to a dairy allergy.

New York Style Crumb Cake has a generous layer of buttery, cinnamon-infused crumbs that crown the soft, delicate cake beneath. Each bite is a symphony of flavors, with the rich crumb topping complementing the subtle sweetness of the cake beneath it.

We love adding fresh fruit to the side or baked into the cake layer. Love fruit in cake? Try out our Healthy Banana Muffins, Peach Muffins, Applesauce Cake, or Jewish Apple Cake.

Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour – You can also use cake flour and omit the cornstarch.
• Baking Powder – We’re using sourdough discard which is not an active yeast. We use baking powder as a leavening agent to make our cake rise.
• Butter – We are dairy free and have tested this with country crock plant butter sticks which is adapted from our full fat butter recipe.
• Granulated Sugar – We do not recommend using honey or any other liquid sweetners.
• Light brown sugar – With a gorgeous golden color and gentle molasses hint, this is a versatile sweetener for many recipes, but we use it specifically for our crumb topping in this one.
• Sourdough Discard – This is non-active sourdough starter. This is what is usually discarded when feeding your sourdough starter but offers many gut healthy benefits and probiotics. (source)
• Egg – We use this as a binding and leavening agent. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein and other nutrients.
• Full Fat Milk: You can use regular milk or full fat oatly as we have tested without issue.
• Vanilla Extract – We use this to add flavor and recommend using real vanilla extract.

While some ingredients may have certain nutritional benefits, the overall healthiness of any cake depends on factors like portion size and the overall balance in your diet. Treats like this NY style crumb cake in moderation can be part of a healthy lifestyle.

What is the best fruit to add to crumb cake?

• Blueberries: Blueberries add a sometimes tart or sometimes sweet burst of sweetness.
• Raspberries: Raspberries contribute a tart and vibrant flavor that pairs well with the sweetness of the cake.
• Strawberries: Chopped fresh strawberries bring a fresh and slightly tangy element, creating a delightful contrast.
• Apples: Diced-up or thinly sliced apples, especially varieties like Granny Smith, can add a sweet and slightly tart taste to balance this cake.
• Peaches: Fres peaches provide a juicy and aromatic addition, infusing a delightful summer flavor.
• Cherries: Cherries bring a sweet and slightly tart twist, fresh or preserved.
• Mixed Berries: A mix of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries can offer various flavors and colors.

Don’t add too much, as it can add too much water content to the cake. We recommend using about 1/2 to 1 cup of fruit. We also recommend coating in flour before folding into the batter.

How to make sourdough crumb cake

For the Crumb Topping, blend all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, softened salted butter, sugar, and packed light brown sugar. Use clean hands to achieve a harmonious, beach sand consistency.

Transitioning to the Crumb Cake, sift together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, cream softened salted butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Next add the sourdough discard, a large egg, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Add the sifted dry components with the wet ingredients, mixing them until just combined. Prepare a pan with a little butter and then pour in the batter. Next add the crumble topping and bake as directed.

Let cool before slicing and then dust with powdered sugar

Serve and enjoy!

How to serve:

We love serving crumb cake with fresh sliced strawberries. We’ll take a bit of cake then a bit of berries in one and it’s a flavor sensation. Definitely a bit different than cooking the berries into the cake but that’s also delicious!

You can also enjoy this cake with our Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice Recipe as a part of breakfast.

Frequently Asked Questions