This recipe for New Jersey Crumb Coffee Cake makes an incredibly moist cake with an extra thick cinnamon, sugar & butter crumb topping – just like you find in New Jersey bakeries.
Growing up in n New Jersey, I grew up on cakes like Entenmann’s Crumb Coffee Cake (an all-time favorite of mine) and Crumb buns from the local bakery.
I have a weakness for anything with a crumb topping. On Sunday mornings, my parents always had fresh crumb cake and donuts from the bakery. The best was when it would still be warm!
Food can really remind you of home, but Crumb Cake isn’t known in England so I haven’t had it in years. This blog is inspiring me to try to recreate my most loved foods from back home and the good news is – this Jersey Girl can bake!
This is my version of the Entenmann’s cake. Creating this recipe took me several attempts. Before now, it never turned out quite right, but I have finally perfected it and I am more than happy to post it for all of you.
The base is lovely and moist and I created a really thick crispy crumb topping (I have waited years for that topping). It’s so thick that for some it may be a little too thick.
If it looks that way in the picture, you can cut the topping recipe by a quarter, but to me, the topping is the best part and It is to die for!
Here’s how to make it:
Start with making the topping by mixing both brown and white sugars, cinnamon, and salt in medium mixing bowl.
Add the warm melted butter and stir to blend.
Add flour and mix with a fork until moist clumps form. Squeeze a handful of the topping into your hand, if it doesn’t clump together, add some more melted butter until it does. 
Set aside while preparing the cake.
In a medium mixing bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat the softened butter in large bowl until light.
Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. 
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
Add buttermilk and vanilla, beat just until blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, beating just until blended after each addition.
Transfer cake batter to prepared baking pan; spreading it evenly over the pan.
Hand- squeeze small handfuls of topping together to form small clumps. Drop topping clumps evenly over cake batter, covering with a thick layer of topping.
Bake 1 hour or until the tester comes out clean and topping is deep golden brown and a little crisp.
Cool cake in dish on rack at least 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.
Cut into squares to serve and enjoy every last bite.
Baker’s Tips:
- If you have trouble with the topping sinking into the cake, try adding a ½ teaspoon of baking powder to the into the flour in the topping. Just keep in mind that this also causes extra browning so it may cause an extra crispy crumb.
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New Jersey Crumb Coffee Cake
Classic Crumb Cake Just Like The Kind You Would Find In Your Favorite New Jersey Bakery. A Tender Cake Topped big, delicious chunks of Cinnamon Sugar Goodness!
Ingredients
For the topping:
- 1½ cups brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ sticks butter melted (plus more if needed)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar for dusting
For the cake:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ sticks butter softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ Cups Buttermilk
- 1½ Teaspoons Vanilla
Instructions
For the topping:
-
Mix both sugars, cinnamon, and salt in medium mixing bowl. Add the warm melted butter and stir to blend.
-
Add flour and mix with a fork until moist clumps form. Squeeze a handful of the topping into your hand, if it doesn't clump together, add some more melted butter until it does. Set aside.
For the cake:
-
preheat the oven to 350f/175c. Grease 13x9 inch baking pan
-
In a medium mixing bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
-
Beat the softened butter in large bowl until light.
-
Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
-
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
-
Add buttermilk and vanilla, beat just until blended.
-
Add flour mixture in 3 additions, beating just until blended after each addition.
-
Transfer cake batter to prepared baking pan; spreading it evenly over the pan.
-
Hand-squeeze small handfuls of topping together to form small clumps. Drop topping clumps evenly over cake batter, covering with a thick layer of topping.
-
Bake 1 hour or until the tester comes out clean and topping is deep golden brown and a little crisp.
-
Cool cake in dish on rack at least 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares to serve.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in July of 2014, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips in February 2018.
Fran says
I’m from newark, n.j. I just love entemenns cakes,etc. I keep looking at your receipe, and reading comments, I would love to bake it into a 8″ round or 2 7″ rounds do you think that would work with your receipe? Let me know. Ty. Fran
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Fran, This recipe makes a large cake you may be able to divide it into x2 9 large pans! Touch base when you’ve made this I’d love to hear your feedback!
Patti says
The cake is delicious but my topping was too hard, especially the next day. Is that because it was overcooked?
Erren says
Hi Patti, Yes, it sounds like it was overcooked. Next time, try covering with foil until the last 10 minutes.
Larry says
Can you substitute anything else for the butter milk? I don’t usually have this in the refrigerator.
Erren says
Hi Larry, you can add a teaspoon of vinegar or lemo juice to regular milk as a buttermilk replacement. Hope this helps!
Gail says
Made this to bring into work this morning. Still nice and warm when I got there. Everyone loved it!!!! Nice to share a little bit of Jersey with my Michigan coworkers.
Erren says
Awesome, Gail! Hope you all enjoyed it! 😊
Marty says
Made this today but halved the whole recipe for a 9” square pan. No buttermilk so subbed mayo and two T milk. It was fantastic! Took about 45 min to bake, topping was fabulous. I used real butter for everything and added two more handfuls of flour to the topping. It sets up as you prepare the batter and becomes the perfect crumb topping to toss on before baking. Next time I’m going to halve the topping again because it really makes a LOT. And I’m going to use two 8×4 pans for a half recipe. This was delicious!
Erren's Kitchen says
That sounds awesome Marty sounds delicious glad I could help!
Anne Holloway says
I made this recipe for New Jersey Crumb cake yesterday. It’s gorgeous, where have you been all my life and why don’t we have this in the UK?
Thankyou for the recipe, I see many more of these made in the future. Moist sponge and melt in the mouth crumbly crunchy topping.
Erren says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Anne! 🙂
Mary says
this what I miss about jersey ! is the pastry shops ! Thanks Erren , I`ll buy your cook book !!!
Erren says
I get so much great feedback on this post. Good to know others feel the same way! 🙂
Vicki says
As a former Jersey girl (Montclair) we bought our milk at the Garden State milk store along with Entenmann’s crumb cake for Sunday morning. Making this recipe today and remembering those Sundays
l-o-n-g ago. Thanks for the recipe!
Erren says
That’s wonderful to hear Vicki 🙂 So many people feel the same. Glad I can help bring some of it back 🙂
Donna Marsala says
Hi Erren
Thank you for sharing a recipe that will take me back to a place I grew up..lived in Wildwood…loved the Boardwalk…anyone remember the smell of the waffles with ice cream in the middle? Cape May as well…Nothing like a Jersey bakery. Can’t wait to try this recipe. I can only imagine how could these will be and can’t wait for the smell in my kitchen.