Raspberry Crumb Cake

If you like the tang of fresh raspberries then you will love this Raspberry Crumb Cake...a moist yellow cake, with tangy raspberries and a cinnamon crumb topping, it is a perfect addition to a steaming cup of coffee or served with a wedge of sharp cheddar and fruit for breakfast...or even late night kitchen raids!

Let's face it, anytime, any day, anywhere is a good time for crumb cake!!

To make this Raspberry Crumb Cake, you will need: fresh raspberries, cake & pastry flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar (light or dark), unsalted butter, buttermilk (room temperature), 1 large whole egg and 1 large yolk (room temperature), cinnamon, vanilla extract, baking soda and salt.

First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line an 8 x 8" baking pan with parchment paper...let the parchment overhang edges (these will act as handles to pull the cooled cake out of the pan).

Crumb topping: in a medium sized bowl combine a 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and a 1/3 cup of brown sugar,

...1 tsp. of ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. of salt and 1 & 3/4 cup of cake & pastry flour...mix together until combined

Next, pour a 1/2 cup of melted butter into the flour mixture...

...and stir with a fork until a crumbly dough forms...set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl), combine 1 & 1/4 cups of *cake & pastry flour, a 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, a 1/4 tsp. of baking soda and a 1/4 tsp. of salt...stir with a fork until combined.

Next, with the paddle attachment or hand held beaters running on low, drop 6 tbsp.'s of softened butter into the flour mixture one at a time until it resembles moist sand-like crumbs...(about 1 or 2 minutes).

Pour in 1 & 1/2 tsp.'s of vanilla extract and 1 room temperature whole egg plus 1 room temperature egg yolk...mix for about 30 seconds...

...then beat in a 1/3 cup of room temperature buttermilk until combined (about 30 more seconds).

Spread batter evenly into the parchment lined baking pan.

Spread about 2 cups of washed and dried fresh raspberries over top of batter...

...then cover berries with crumb topping...work from the outside into the middle to ensure the sides get evenly covered with crumbles.

Bake in your preheated 325 degree oven for approximately 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs stuck to it...the crumb topping should also be golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. When the cake is fairly cool, use the parchment paper "handles" to lift the cake out of the pan...

Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

Raspberry Crumb Cake

Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup of granulated sugar

1/3 cup of brown sugar (light or dark)

1 tsp. of ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

1 & 3/4 cups of *cake & pastry flour

1/2 cup of melted butter

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars, cinnamon, salt and flour...stir to combine.

2. Next pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until a crumbly dough forms...set aside.

Cake

1 & 1/4 cups of *cake & pastry flour

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. of salt

1/4 tsp. of baking soda

6 tbsp.'s of unsalted, softened butter (cut into 6 squares)

1 whole egg, room temperature

1 egg yolk, room temperature

1 & 1/2 tsp.'s of vanilla extract

1/3 cup of buttermilk, room temperature

2 cups of fresh raspberries

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using hand held beaters), combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda...stir to combine.

2. With the mixer on low, drop one square (1 tbsp.) of the softened butter into the flour mixture...continue adding the rest of the butter one square at a time, mixing for about 30 seconds after each addition...beat for approximately 1 or 2 minutes or until the flour mixture resembles moist sand-like crumbs.

3. Next, add in the vanilla extract, the egg and yolk and mix for about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed...pour in the buttermilk then mix for another 30 seconds.

4. Spread the batter evenly into the parchment lined baking sheet...toss the raspberries evenly over top of batter, then sprinkle the crumb topping over berries.

5. Bake in the preheated 325 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

6. Place cake onto a wire rack to cool before lifting cake out of pan by the parchment paper "handles"...cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

* if using salted butter, omit the salt called for in the recipe

* don't substitute all purpose flour for the cake & pastry flour called for as the cake may turn out dry according to the original recipe

* Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen "Best Baking Recipes" cookbook