Gluten-Free Crumb Cake

Ingredients

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• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (containing rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch) Shop
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your GF flour blend already contains it) Shop
• 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder Shop
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 cup warm milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter or neutral oil
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar (for cake) Shop
• 0.25 cup packed light brown sugar (for crumb topping) Shop
• 0.5 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (for crumb topping) Shop
• 0.25 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for crumb topping)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for crumb topping) Shop

Instructions

1. 1 In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), gluten-free baking powder, and salt for about 30 seconds until thoroughly combined and aerated. This ensures an even distribution of ingredients for a better cake texture.
2. 2 In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the warm milk, 2 large eggs, melted butter or oil, and 0.5 cup of granulated sugar until smooth and well incorporated. The mixture should be homogenous and slightly frothy.
3. 3 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or whisk until just combined, about 1-2 minutes. The batter will be thicker and stickier than conventional batter made with gluten-containing grains; this is normal for gluten-free cakes. Avoid overmixing.
4. 4 Prepare the crumb topping by combining 0.5 cup of gluten-free flour blend, 0.25 cup of packed light brown sugar, and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your fingertips or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This should take about 3-5 minutes.
5. 5 Spread the cake batter evenly into a greased and floured (with GF flour) 8x8 inch baking pan. Sprinkle the prepared crumb topping generously and evenly over the batter, ensuring full coverage. Allow the cake to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes while you preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
6. 6 Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 35-45 minutes, checking at 35 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the topping is golden brown and fragrant. The total baking time will depend on your oven. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Tips & Notes

• Squeeze handfuls of the crumb topping so some of it forms pea- to marble-size clumps before you scatter it. Clumps bake into the chunky, crisp crumbs this cake is named for, while a loose, sandy topping melts flat.
• When you check with the skewer, push it through a gap in the topping into the center of the cake. Streusel crumbs on the skewer can look like underbaked cake; only raw, sticky batter means it needs more time.
• If you use a non-dairy milk, choose one labeled gluten-free, especially oat milk. Warm it just enough to take off the chill so the melted butter stays liquid, but not so hot that it starts to cook the eggs.

Common questions