This is the BEST Lemon Crumb Cake Recipe! A delicious make ahead, New York Style crumb cake with tangy lemon curd swirled throughout and topped with a crumb topping that will have you licking the plate to gobble up every scrumptious last morsel. Perfect for dessert and brunch too!
Crumb Cake
Crumb cake is a soft buttery cake piled high with crumb topping. It is one of my absolute favorite cakes, and my favorite part of crumb cake is the crumb topping! The more crumb cake topping the better!This recipe for Crumb Cake definitely does not scrimp on the crumbs! I honestly didn't think a traditional crumb cake could get any better, but swirling lusciously sweet and tangy lemon curd throughout, livens up the flavor and adds a hint of sunshine to the color making it perfect for any time of year.
Ingredients you'll need to make my Lemon Crumb Cake Recipe
Crumb Topping
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, diced
Lemon Crumb Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3/4 cup homemade Luscious Lemon Curd
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions for how to make my Lemon Crumb Cake Recipe
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and an 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse to combine and then add 1/2 cup very cold butter, diced. Pulse until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
NOTE: It's important to use cold butter to get the desired consistency of the crumb topping.
- Prepare the cake batter. Using a mixer with the beater attachment, cream 1/2 cup butter. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. Add this flour mixture to batter alternately with 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest.
- Using the whisk attachment, whisk the 3 egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes, but time will vary depending on your mixer. Soft peaks are peaks that flop over instead of standing upright. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating another minute or so until glossy, stiff peaks form. Be sure to watch carefully. If the egg whites turn wispy and dull looking, they are over whipped.
- Gently fold egg whites into batter and pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square (2-inch-deep) pan. Dollop with lemon curd and gently swirl with a knife. Sprinkle Crumb Topping over batter.
- Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and make it rain with a dusting of powdered sugar on top of the cake. I use the Oxo Baker's Dusting Wand for a nice even coating of powdered sugar that won't make a mess all over my counters!
Recipe Prep Tips
- Use an 9" square pan for best results, and be sure to grease and flour the pan. I do this first to have it ready when I'm ready to pour the batter in the pan.
- When preparing the crumb topping, it is very important to use cold butter. I dice the butter and then put it in the freezer for a few minutes while I add the other topping ingredients to the bowl of my food processor. Then I add the very cold, diced butter. I find using my Cuisinart 9-cup Food Processor is much easier and quicker. If you don't have a food processor, I highly recommend getting one! Investing in a food processor was life changing for me in the kitchen! I know that sounds dramatic, but it's true. It is such a time saver from slicing vegetables, grating fresh cheese, mixing just about everything, and chopping too. I use mine every single day!
- When zesting the lemon be sure you only use the outer yellow skin. The white pith underneath is bitter and nobody wants to taste that in their crumb cake. Amiright? A microplane is a must when zesting and is an essential tool for every kitchen.
- Use a whisk attachment when beating the egg whites to soft peaks. Be sure to watch this carefully so you don't over whip. Soft peaks are peaks that flop over instead of standing upright. Once you reach soft peaks, add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar a little at a time, beating another minute or so until glossy, stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks stand upright. Be sure to watch carefully. If the egg whites turn wispy and dull looking, they are over whipped.
- Gently fold whipped egg whites into the batter with a flexible spatula. If you over mix them with the batter, they will become flat and lose that airy quality. This will negatively affect the texture of the cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting. I know this is difficult to do when all you want is to enjoy a big tangy mouthful of lemon deliciousness, but it is totally necessary for the curd to set properly. If you cut into it too early, you will have a gooey, lemony mess on your hands.
Yield: 9
Lemon Crumb Cake
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
Lemon Crumb Cake is a delicious make ahead crumb cake recipe perfect for special occasions
Ingredients
Crumb Cake Topping
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, diced
Lemon Crumb Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3/4 cup Lemon Curd
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Crumb Cake Topping
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and an 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse to combine and then add 1/2 cup very cold butter, diced. Pulse until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use. (See notes section)
Lemon Crumb Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 9" square pan.
- Mix wet ingredients - Using a mixer with the beater attachment, cream 1/2 cup butter. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition to combine.
- Mix dry ingredients - In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda.
- Add flour mixture to wet ingredients alternately with 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest.
- In a separate bowl, using the whisk attachment, whisk 3 egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes (see notes section).
- Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating another minute or so until glossy, stiff peaks form (see notes section).
- Gently fold egg whites into batter and pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square (2-inch-deep) pan.
- Dollop with lemon curd and gently swirl with a knife. Sprinkle Crumb Topping over batter (see notes section).
- Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes (see notes section)
- Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar (see notes section).
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting (see notes section)
Notes:
Crumb topping: It's important to use cold butter to get the desired consistency of the crumb topping.
Soft peaks: peaks that flop over instead of standing upright.
Stiff peaks: Stand upright on their own. When bringing the whites to stiff peaks, be sure to watch carefully. If the egg whites turn wispy and dull looking, they are over whipped. You want glossy stiff peaks.
Lots of Crumb topping: The BEST crumb cakes have a LOT of crumb topping. It might seem like there is too much crumb topping, but trust me on this one - you want all the crumb topping on the cake. If needed, you may press down gently on the crumb topping in order to fit it all on top of the cake.
Baking: Keep in mind oven temps can vary wildly, so if you check the cake and it jiggles at all it needs more time. Return it to the oven and bake another 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Dusting wand: I use the Oxo Baker's Dusting Wand for a nice even coating of powdered sugar that won't make a mess all over my counters!
Cooling: This cake is best if you make ahead a day or two before cutting. It is a must for this cake to cool completely in order for the lemon curd to set.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
536.70Fat (grams)
15.37Sat. Fat (grams)
8.76Carbs (grams)
92.64Fiber (grams)
1.37Net carbs
91.27Sugar (grams)
60.19Protein (grams)
8.56Sodium (milligrams)
101.76Cholesterol (grams)
117.18Nutrition label disclaimer: Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
I love lemon. Adding that lemon curd must have made this cake so much more moist!
ReplyDeleteOhhhhh my goodness, does this ever look spectacular! I never make a lot of lemon desserts/breakfast items at my house because my husband is really strange and doesn't like citrus pastry-related items. WHAT. But this - I want to make this and just keep it to myself!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely gorgeous with that lemon curd layer! I'm in love!!! I love your little powdered sugar duster too - cute and practical.
ReplyDeleteI love crumb cake and this lemon version sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely must make this!!!! I love everything about it, and wish I could make it tonight!
ReplyDeleteConsider this made!!!!! Pinned!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you love it as much as we do!!
DeleteThis looks amazing. Do you think it would work to incorporate cream cheese into the lemon curd layer as well? Let me know your thoughts, can't wait to try this recipe :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren, I haven't tried that so I'm not able to comment on how it would affect the recipe. Because it adds more moisture to the batter it could negatively affect the results, but I would have to test it before being able to comment definitively. If you give it a try, I'd love to know how it turns out.
Deletewondering if My-t-Fine lemon pudding would work as I don't have fresh lemon juice on hand today.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried using pudding in place of the lemon curd. If you give it a try, let me know how it works out. Thanks!
DeleteCan you make this ahead of time and freeze?
ReplyDeleteI've never frozen this, so I'm not exactly sure how it will affect the taste & texture. I don't see why not. Let me know how it works out for you!
DeleteMade this a couple of nights ago and was it ever a hit!! My grandson lives with us and he and my husband both thought it was fabulous!! I will definitely be making it again. A bit labor intensive but well worth it!!
ReplyDeleteHi Gail, so glad this crumb cake recipe was a hit! It's definitely one of my faves and every time I see the recipe my mouth starts watering! I love that tangy lemon & delicious crumb topping so much! Thanks for letting me know everyone liked it. It made my whole day :) ~Marion
DeleteHow much crumb toppi g is supposed to be left over. I'm looking at over a cup just staring at like, well what now?
ReplyDeleteHi Jared, I use all of the crumb topping on the cake. You can gently press down on it if needed, but as long as you are using a 9" square pan - it should all fit. There is a LOT of crumb topping. I hope that helps. ~Marion
DeleteCan this be doubled or should it be made in 2 separate pans?
ReplyDeleteI have not tried to double this recipe, but if I did I would just make it in 2 separate pans for baking purposes. I wouldn't want to have to add more time to the baking process. I hope that helps ~Marion
DeleteYour crumb topping measurement is way off. how on earth you got it to look like the photo is beyond me with that much flour in it. The cake is in the oven but I'm a little despondent over the crumb topping. Unfortunately I waited until after it was in the oven to review prior crime cake recipes. The majority have a third to a half a cup of flour. we'll adjust this next time as all that flower really bumps up the carbs on this meal plus the top looks more like sand than actual crumb. Hopefully the taste will save it as my mother-in-law is headed over for breakfast. 🤞
ReplyDeleteHi Connie, It is a lot of crumb topping. That's the way we like it and what makes this crumb cake better. It's important to use a 9" square pan for this cake. You can gently press down on the crumb topping if needed.
DeleteThe crumb topping should be the consistency you see in my photos. If it came out like sand (more mushy than crumby), then your butter might have been too soft. As stressed in the recipe, it's very important to use very cold butter in order to achieve the crumb consistency.
Another thing I'd like to mention that is in the recipe as well as the tips section above is to let the cake cool completely before cutting. I know this is difficult to do when all you want is to enjoy a big tangy mouthful of lemon deliciousness, but it is totally necessary for the curd to set properly. If you cut into it too early, you will have a gooey, lemony mess on your hands.
Fabulous cake. Came up perfectly and just delicious. Well worth the extra time. I made the streusel and curd the day before. Ty!
ReplyDeleteI have made this 3 times in the last 3 mos and everyone loves it, it is delish and the new family favorite! Thank you for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteReally good flavor, but it was pretty dense and the topping was too much and kind of powdery when I’m eating it (actually eating it now). I made 1/3 of the recipe with a tiny baking pan so I could eat the whole thing without the guilt, so it’s possible my math was off. The batter was really thick and dry, so when I tried the fold the egg whites in, it wouldn’t mix well and I think I ended up stirring too much to incorporate the egg white. I’m trying it again, but will reduce the flour in the topping and might add a little liquid to the batter so it’s not so thick.
ReplyDeleteHi Kate, I'm so glad you liked the flavor. The issue you had with the cake being dense could be a result of adjusting down the recipe, but it can also be the way you measure the flour. I recommend aerating the flour first (you can do this my just mixing the flour to unpack it) and then scooping out the flour with a spoon into the dry measure cup, then leveling the top with a knife. That way you don't over measure and pack the flour. I hope that helps!
DeleteFor me, the best crumb cakes have loads of crumb topping. If you prefer less crumb topping, you can reduce the topping by half to see if you prefer that.
Thanks for giving this recipe a try. Have a super week ~Marion
Ok so I don’t often comment on recipes on blog posts even if they are fails…which this one was, a huge fail, but I feel the need to share. I followed the recipe to a T and I’m not a novice baker. My butter was thoroughly chilled, my egg whites were perfect and yet this cake turned out dense and tasteless and bc of the sheer quantity of crumb topping it was dry. I can see many like it, but it’s a hard pass on this one for me and my family.
ReplyDeleteHi Suzanne, I apologize for my delayed response. I have not been well this year, so it's been difficult for me to respond to comments and emails.
DeleteI'm sorry this recipe didn't work for you. The issue you had with the cake being dense could be how the flour is measured. I recommend aerating the flour first (you can do this my just mixing the flour to unpack it) and then scooping out the flour with a spoon into the dry measure cup, then leveling the top with a knife. That way you don't over measure and pack the flour. Packing the flour will make for dense baked goods. I hope that helps!
Did you use the lemon curd called for in the recipe? I'm curious as it is loaded with sweet, tangy lemon flavor and helps to keep this crumb cake moist and delicious.
For me, the best crumb cakes have loads of crumb topping like this recipe. Measuring the flour by scooping it into the measuring cup with a spoon is again recommended. If you prefer less crumb topping, you can reduce the topping by half.
Thanks for giving this recipe a try. Have a super week ~Marion
I want to make this using two round cake pans and making it a layer cake. Any suggestions on what to put between the layers? Also does the Crumb topping stay put on top when cake is removed from pans?
ReplyDeleteI want to make this using 2 round cake pans and make it a layer cake. Any suggestions on what to put between the layers? Also does the crumb topping stay in place if you unmold the cake from the pan?
ReplyDeleteI would put the lemon curd between the layers. The crumb topping would stay in place if you use a springform pan. It will not stay in place if using a regular cake pan. I'm interested in knowing how this worked out for you if you tried it. I apologize for the late reply. I have been having health issues. I am trying to keep up, but a couple comments fell through the cracks. I'm so sorry.
DeleteIt seems like a lot of work for a 9x9 pan. If I were to make this in a 9x13 pan, do you recommend making 1 1/2 recipes? Has anyone tried it?
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply. You can make this in a 9x13 pan, however, the overall cake will be much thinner. The total baking time will be less as well - I'm guessing the bake time would be around 25-30 minutes, but I have not made this in a larger pan.
Delete