Lemon Crumb Cake
This is a soft textured lemon flavored cake with a swirl of lemon curd. I found the original version in Southern Living and made my own small changes, but this is pretty close to the original. It makes a very thick cake, so I don't recommend using a pan smaller than 9 inches square. You could probably get away with using one slightly larger for a thinner cake. The crumb layer is pretty thick. When you pile it on it might seem like too much, but it's not. If using unsalted butter, be sure to add a little more salt.
Servings 12
Cost 5
Ingredients
- Shortening or butter for greasing pan
Crumb Mixture
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (200 grams)
- ⅔ cup sugar (130 grams)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup salted butter, cold (114 grams)
Cake Batter
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (200 grams)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
- ½ cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (114 grams)
- ⅔ cup lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)
- confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Grease a 9 inch square baking pan. You can line it with parchment if you'd like, but it's not absolutely necessary.
- Make the crumb mixture first. Mix together flour, sugar and both zests, then use a grater to grate in the cold butter, tossing occasionally to mix. You can also do this with a pastry cutter, two forks or a food processor, but the easiest way is just to grate it in there. Cover and keep chilled while you make the cake batter.
- Mix together the cake flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest then set aside.
- In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the ½ cup of softened butter with the 1 ½ cups of sugar, scraping sides of bowl often. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each egg is added.
- Add the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt, stirring by hand or on lowest speed until blended.
- Beat the egg whites until soft peaks for, then fold ⅓ at a time into the cake batter. Batter will be thick.
- Scrape the thick batter into the pan and spread evenly. Drop dollops of lemon mixture over the top and swirl with a knife. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. It will seem like too much, but it's not.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let cool.
