Lemon Crumb Cake is a New York style coffee cake with a delicate fresh lemon flavor, made with my special lemon infused sugar.
lemon crumb cake is a classic New York style coffee cake
I patterned this recipe after one of my favorite coffee cakes on the blog, my Cardamom Crumb Cake. I made it for the family and realized it was too good not to share with you guys. It bakes up nice and tall, and it’s fluffy on the inside with a nice thick nubbly crumb crust on the top. But best of all it’s laced with the most delicate lemon flavor ~ that’s because the flavor is infused into the sugar that then bakes into the cake. The kitchen smells incredible, and everybody lunges for the first piece.
Here’s what readers are saying about this simple lemon crumb cake:
- “Another great recipe! This cake rises so high, and is the perfect crumb.”
- “This came out just like the picture! I’m so stoked.”
- “Already looking forward to making it again!”
- “Thanks for the recipe will be my forever go to!!!
You know I adore lemon, and I’m always on a quiet crusade to find better ways to get real lemon flavor into my baking. This is one of my favorite techniques, and you may remember it from my buttery Lemon Sugar Shortbread (still one of my all-time favorites).
A food processor is the perfect tool for making lemon sugar. I simply process the clean lemon peel (removed with a vegetable peeler) with the sugar until it transforms into a fragrant citrus sugar ~ it takes just seconds, and the flavor payoff in this lemon crumb cake is huge.
common questions about lemon crumb cake
You’ll grate the lemon zest with a grater and mix with the sugar. In that case I recommend grating the zest of 2 lemons.
You can use regular whole milk instead.
Yes, sure. let it cool completely first, then wrap in foil, and again in plastic. Plan to use within 3 months.
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Lemon Sugar Crumb Cake
Video
Equipment
- full sized food processor
- 9×9 baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, organic preferred, well washed and dried
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup cold unsalted butter cut in small pieces
wet ingredients
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- preheat oven to 325. Spray a 9×9 square baking pan and line with parchment paper if you want to be able to lift it out for cutting. This is optional.
- Use a serrated vegetable peeler to carefully peel away the zest from the lemon. You want only the yellow, not any of the bitter white pith.
- Put the sugar into the bowl of a food processor, along with the zest. Process, scraping down the sides if necessary, for about a minute or so, until the zest is completely incorporated into the sugar.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt into the processor and pulse to combine everything.
- Add the butter to the bowl. Pulse to combine, maybe about 20 pulses. The mixture should be crumbly with the butter well distributed and in very small pieces.
- Measure out 1 cup of the mixture and set aside.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients and add to the dry, mixing just until combined. Spread the batter into the pan, and top with the reserved crumbs. Note: I use my fingertips to make some larger, chunkier crumbs to create a nice texture on the top. Just compress the dry mixture a little between your fingers to make any size crumb you like.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out without wet batter clinging to it, moist crumbs are fine.
Notes
- I like to use organic lemons when I know I’ll be using the peel, and I wash them really well.
- If you don’t have a food processor you can do this by hand. Grate the lemon zest and mix with the sugar. I would use the zest of 2 lemons if you are doing it by hand.
Nutrition
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Sorry, me again (new to baking; love lemon!) is the butter cold when mixed into the other ingredients? Can I sub yogurt for sour cream? Thanks.
Yes, great question Jeanette, and I just clarified that in the recipe, thanks. This is an unusual process with this cake, so it can be a little confusing. You can substitute yogurt, but the texture will be a little different.
If making with no processor how long should I beat/mix, etc. I don’t want to over mix. Thanks!
You’d mix the butter in like you would when making a pie crust, so you’d have to cut it in. Then just mix until well combined.
I’m so sorry (I don’t want to be a pest!) but I meant how long to beat everything in general. For example the recipe states to “process” the sugar and zest for a minute or so. How long should I use my mixer, or is it by hand? And how long do I beat (again, by hand or mixer?) the dry ingredients with the sugar and zest? I really am trying to get this right. And, I’ve never tackled a pie crust (yet)….I’m 67
and retired recently and baking is my new hobby. Thanks so much!
For the sugar and lemon peel, that’s best done in a food processor, so you would pulse or run the machine until the peel is fully incorporated into the sugar. If you want to do that step by hand, you would grate the lemon zest and just stir it together with the sugar until it’s mixed.
To combine the dry ingredients with the sugar, just mix until it is combined. This can be with a spoon or whisk or right in the processor.
Hope this helps! Let me know how it all turns out!
Hi Sue, gorgeous cake! just wondered if you had ever thought of showing the ingredients in grams/ounces as well as cups? I am in London England and we don’t really use cups that often here.. although some of us use them we tend to have to dig them out when a recipe requires them Ha! 🙂
It’s a good point Debbie, and I guess I should get in the habit of weighing out everything as I go. I hate to rely on converters, especially when it comes to baking. I always feel it’s easy for something to get lost in the translation!
Who knows, you may get even more subscribers as bakers can get a bit confused when trying to convert, as you say, something can easily go astray! Looking forward to maybe seeing grams & ounces in the future…
I made this fantastic cake for a birthday party saturday night. My friends could not stop raving how good it tasted.
My food processor died half way thru the mixing, so I finished by hand. Using a springform pan extended the cooking time. Your recipe was so easy to follow. I’m looking forward to making your Irish Apple Cake. thanks again.
I’m thrilled Joan ~ and you might also like my pumpkin crumb cake, and my cardamom crumb cake, they’re similar. I’ll try my springform pan next time!
I made this cake today – it’s absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for a new go-to recipe.
Thank YOU for coming back to let us know Kate. I hope you get many years of pleasure out of this recipe 🙂
can you use a 9″ springform pan?
Sure!
This cake was delicious! Directions were good and easy to follow. It baked up beautifully and I think it was even more moist on the second day.
Thanks so much for your feedback Belinda ~ I’m so glad you like this. I hope you use that lemon sugar for other recipes, too 🙂
OH my goodness! I’m a sucker for any cake (especially if it involves a crumb topping), and I’m all about the lemon right now. It’s just such a bright, fresh spring flavor. This recipe sounds PERFECT!
Hi Sue, This cake sounds so good I can’t wait to try it! I am new to infusing sugar with anything (I found a recipe using infused vanilla sugar), so I’m unsure as to the ratio of sugar to lemon zest, or does it matter? I’m thinking the more lemon I use, the more lemony the sugar becomes. And how long does it take to infuse? Thanks for your help! I’m enjoying your recipes as I’m on your list! Thanks! Dawn
Best to follow the recipe exactly Dawn.
I love lemon. Cannot wait to try your recipe. Need lemons.
I’m right there with you Susan, lemons are amazing.