Let them eat "Crumb Cake"

       Well, it's Cinco de Mayo, and like every other holiday that has nothing to do with North America (St. Patrick's Day, Canadian Independence Day?, etc.), Americans still find some way to make it a drinking fest. I'm a huge fan of dressing in color-coordinated outfits and consuming "nation-specific" alcohol for no apparent reason, but today is a Sunday and if I celebrated properly I would have drank for 3 consecutive days. Since I vowed to never participate in a bender ever again after college (I already have 2 strikes against me), I decided to celebrate this wonderful holiday a different way. I originally planned on making a delicious Mexican feast, but then I remembered if I flirt with the cooks at the taco stand a few blocks from my house, I get free chips and salsa. So, I decided to bake something instead.

       I have to admit, after what I have titled the "Doughnut Disaster" (aka my last blog post), I needed a recipe that was both simple, edible, and enjoyable. Fortunately, this was a lifesaver! Who knew crumb cake could be this "fool-proof"? Well, it is, and I have lived to tell about it. The only downfall to this recipe is that it has enough butter to coax Paula Deen out of her house that is thousands of miles away. But then again, is this really a downfall? I couldn't keep my hands off this cake, and neither could my family or Bill. Do yourself a favor and copy down this recipe. Your taste buds will thank me later. Your ass...ehhh not so much.

This, my friends, is a butter overload

                                                   

"Classic Crumb Cake"

Cake:

• 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 (10 tbls.) sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 c. sour cream

Crumb Topping:

• 3 c. all purpose flour
• 1 c. light brown sugar
• 1 tbls. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 
• 3 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature (yep, told you)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or butter a 9x13 in. pan. 
2. In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract followed by the flour mixture. Add sour cream and stir until combined. 
4. Scrape batter into baking pan and spread out evenly. 
5. Make crumb topping: In medium bowl mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut up butter into cubes(or use a pastry blender or food processor) and add to bowl. Mix together (I used a hand mixer on the "stir" option). Small-medium clumps should exist.
6. Lay crumb topping on top of cake layer. I also sprinkled a little extra cinnamon and granulated sugar on the topping (not in original recipe). 
7. Bake 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from center. 
8. Let cool and store in airtight container. 

      Although I'm obviously all about butter, I feel that this recipe could have reduced the amount just a tad. The crumb topping is a bit too rich for my taste, so I suggest perhaps going with 2 1/2 to 3 sticks instead of what the original recipe calls for. Then again, who am I to say what tastes better? All I know is that I am going to jump on my new road bike (Cannondale Synapse 6) and go for a ride. That is if my bike shorts still fit after eating two pieces. Enjoy, my fellow dessert lovers!

    Shout out to Recipe Girl for allowing me to indulge in this recipe. Any chance you can share some exercise tips, too? God knows I'm going to start needing them after a few more of these blog posts.


       Number of Pinterest recipes conquered: 4
       I declare this recipe a: slippery slope towards morbid obesity