Crumb Cake With Coconut-Pistachio Topping
Called the "new deli" crumb cake at Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Mich., this incredibly moist sour cream cake has a traditionally nubby topping speckled with coconut. It's also gently warmed with the Indian spices that make a cup of chai so irresistible: ginger, cardamom and cloves. The recipe comes from the deli's long-awaited cookbook, "Zingerman's Bakehouse," by head bakers Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo.
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1tablespoon coconut oil
- ⅓cup plus 1 tablespoon/50 grams all-purpose flour
- 5tablespoons/60 grams Muscovado or other dark brown sugar
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛teaspoon ground cloves
- ½cup/30 grams sweetened flaked coconut
- ½cup/50 grams coarsely chopped pistachios
- 1 ¼cups/250 grams granulated sugar
- ½cup plus 3 tablespoons/150 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2eggs
- ½cup plus 2 tablespoons/150 grams sour cream
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Step 1
Make the topping: In a small skillet, melt together butter and coconut oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, salt, cardamom, ginger, and cloves. Pour in melted butter mixture, and stir with a fork until well mixed and crumbly. (Do not overmix, or it will turn to paste.) Use your fingers to mix in coconut and pistachios.Step 2
Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and let dry overnight or in the oven (see Note).Step 3
Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray.Step 4
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together sugar and butter on medium speed until the color lightens. Mix in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated and homogenous. Mix in sour cream and vanilla until light and creamy.Step 5
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed butter mixture and mix until smooth.Step 6
Scrape into prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Evenly distribute topping over cake batter, making sure to put topping along the edge. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.