Gingerbread Crumb Cake is a warm spiced coffee cake made super moist and tender with molasses and sour cream ~ it’s the perfect way to start a chilly morning, or treat your overnight guests during the holidays!
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Some mornings toast and eggs just don’t cut it, you know what I’m talking about. This gingerbread crumb cake is perfect for those times. It’s warm, fluffy, and fragrant with spices like ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Eat it in your bathrobe and slippers with a cup of coffee, set it out on a brunch table, or wrap up a piece and take it to go. This is a versatile little cake that’ll have your back all season long.
The technique for this cake is a little bit out of the ordinary, it’s the same one I used for my Cardamom Crumb Cake, and my Pumpkin Crumb Cake ~ I blitz the dry ingredients in my food processor to blend all those spices with the flour, etc. Then I pulse in the butter to make a crumbly mixture — a little bit of that is set aside for the crumb topping. The rest is folded into a dreamy blend of apple butter/sour cream/eggs and molasses. Are you swooning yet?
TIP: This gingerbread crumb cake is fabulous warm from the oven, so if you’d like to do some of the work ahead, I suggest making the recipe up to the stage just before you mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Do that when you’re ready to bake.
As crumb cakes go, this one is lighter on the crumbs, and moister in the base than most classic New York style cakes. I highly recommend it warm from the oven.
TIP: A good set of cake pans is essential if you like to bake. I particularly love the heft and sturdiness of aluminized steel USA bakeware, it bakes evenly for me every time and it’s reasonably priced.
notes:
- Wrap the cake with foil or plastic after it has cooled so it won’t dry out. You can reheat it is VERY briefly in a microwave, start with 15 seconds.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp powdered ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, cold and cut in pieces
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup apple butter
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Lightly spray a 9x13 baking pan.
- Put all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitting with the blade attachment. Pulse to combine everything thoroughly.
- Pulse in the butter until it is well distributed and the mixture is crumbly, 30-40 pulses.
- Pour the dry mixture into a large mixing bowl. REMOVE one cup of the mixture and set it aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, apple butter, molasses, and sour cream until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, folding just until everything is thoroughly mixed. Don't over mix.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. The baking time will vary depending on your pan and your oven.
- Let cool slightly before cutting.
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38 Comments
Court
December 22, 2019 at 11:57 pmI made this using pumpkin butter instead of apple butter, since that’s what I had on hand. It turned out absolutely scrumptious; I brought it to work for a holiday brunch potluck. Thanks for the great recipe.
Sue
December 23, 2019 at 8:04 amThat sounds really good Court.
Heidi
December 15, 2019 at 3:05 pmI just made the gingerbread crumb cake this evening! It tastes absolutely delicious! This is a wonderful recipe! I am planning to measure the dry ingredients in a gallon size Ziploc bag to make another cake in the near future as part of a Christmas gift! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I can not wait to try some of your other recipes!
Sue
December 15, 2019 at 5:17 pmI’m glad you liked it Heidi, and I love the idea of measuring out the dry ingredients, I think that’s so smart.
Kristin
November 28, 2017 at 7:36 amSue,
I so want to add this to my crumb cake collection of recipes. Can I make it without a food processor? We don’t own one…but this recipe sounds delish!
Sue
November 28, 2017 at 7:45 amYes absolutely, you can cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, like you would do for a pie crust. The processor makes it a lot easier to get the butter into small bits while making sure it doesn’t get too soft, but you can do it by hand.
Jules @ WolfItDown
October 22, 2016 at 4:06 pmYum! Gingerbread anything makes me smile even just thinking about it! :D
This looks soooo fluffy! Perfect with a cuppa ^ ^
Laura | Tutti Dolci
October 21, 2016 at 7:41 pmBe still my heart, Sue! Those crumbs look absolutely irresistible!
Marguerite van der Wolk
October 21, 2016 at 12:55 amWhat is apple butter?
Sue
October 21, 2016 at 7:08 amIt’s a thick version of apple jam, Marguerite. You cook the apples, then puree them and cook a little more until it is thick and spreadable. It’s yummy! You can usually find it right in your store’s jam aisle.
Pat
November 24, 2016 at 1:14 pmHave never seen apple butter in a store in Canada. Would thick homemade applesauce work if you reduced the other wet ingredients a bit?
Sue
November 24, 2016 at 1:48 pmYou might want to reduce the applesauce itself, Pat, just put it in a sauce pan and cook until it thickens. That should work.
Liz
October 20, 2016 at 3:09 pmNow THIS is the way to start the day off right! What a moist, scrumptious cake! Perfect for autumn!
Adina
October 20, 2016 at 4:38 amIt looks amazing, I love that crumbly yet moist texture. I am definitely swooning! :)
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
October 19, 2016 at 8:04 pmI think that cake is a great choice for breakfast. I would love to have a piece of this cake for breakfast.
Monique
October 19, 2016 at 2:18 pmIt looks delish!I love crumb cakes
Chris Scheuer
October 19, 2016 at 1:04 pmThis looks amazing, so moist and I love the crumbly topping, a perfect combination of sweet and spices!
Beth Naz
October 19, 2016 at 12:08 pmSo many favorites in one tasty bite. One question, do you think this could be made with gluten free flour, like better batter or cup 4 cup. We have two family members that are celiac and I would like to include them in the good things too.
Sue
October 19, 2016 at 12:24 pmI do think you can use gf flour, Beth. As you know, it won’t have quite the same texture, but I’ve found that when you use a good gf mix, it can be done successfully :)
Beth Naz
October 19, 2016 at 1:42 pmThank you so much. Love your new picture :+)
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
October 19, 2016 at 10:55 amMy mom would love this. Will have to make it for her when we go visit for Thanksgiving! Love that topping.
Joan
October 19, 2016 at 10:52 amLooks delicious, can’t wait to bake it.
I have one question I do not have apple butter i have cherry butter can I use that??
Sue
October 19, 2016 at 1:42 pmYou could use cherry butter, but I’m not sure the flavors go very well together, Joan. I might recommend my spiced apple cake as a better recipe for that substitution…http://theviewfromgreatisland.com/spiced-apple-cake/
Deb
October 19, 2016 at 10:20 amAnything crumb calls my name! This is going on my list to bake which I try to keep very short. LOL
Sue
October 19, 2016 at 12:25 pmLet me know how you go about keeping that list short, Deb, mine keeps growing and growing :/
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon
October 19, 2016 at 9:07 amWhat lovely pictures! I just want to grab a piece right now. Good tip on getting it organized ahead of time so you are ready to pop it in the oven when you get up.
Sue
October 19, 2016 at 9:28 amThanks Annemarie <3
Julie
October 19, 2016 at 8:52 amThat sounds like the perfect Fall brunch dessert. Delicious! Favorite flavors.
Kara @ Byte Sized Nutrition
October 19, 2016 at 8:45 amThis looks INCREDIBLE! I’m a sucker for anything that includes the word “crumb” in the title. The combination of gingerbread and apple butter sounds phenomenal!
The Food Hunter
October 19, 2016 at 8:43 amOn the list of things to bake.
J @ Bless Her Heart Y'all
October 19, 2016 at 8:21 amGirl! You just combined two of my favorite things together! Why didn’t I think of this??? You are brilliant and this recipe is going to have to happen in my kitchen soon!
Sue
October 19, 2016 at 8:22 amI’m glad I could inspire you!!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
October 19, 2016 at 8:16 amOh boy do I love gingerbread and this looks fantastic! I’m with John on this one – cake for breakfast! Love these flavors and the crumb looks so moist – I love it! Pinning and sharing!
John/Kitchen Riffs
October 19, 2016 at 7:40 amYup, sometimes you need cake for breakfast. And this is perfect! Gingerbread is so good, isn’t it? And I can never resist a crumb topping. Perfect. :-)
Sue
October 19, 2016 at 8:20 amI know, I grew up on crumb cake, I pick them off first…;)
Angie@Angie's Recipes
October 19, 2016 at 6:55 amI love gingerbread ANYTHING!! That crumble topping looks particularly delicious.
Sue
October 19, 2016 at 8:21 amMe too, Angie, and I’ve got more coming!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
October 19, 2016 at 6:16 amGingerbread is one of my absolute favourite flavours and this crumb cake is gingerbread perfection :) Love!