Vanilla Chocolate Crumb Cake
Vanilla Chocolate Crumb Cake, an easy Crumb Cake made with Greek yogurt and the perfect crunchy topping. It’s a great Dessert, Snack Cake, or why not serve it as a Breakfast Cake? This vanilla chocolate cake is perfect any time of day.
This amazing Vanilla Chocolate Crumb Cake is a family favourite and a simple cake recipe that is easy to make. Even my daughter who is the Nutella queen loves it even though it doesn’t have Nutella in it! Although she does say, her favourite will always be the Italian Nutella Crumb Cake.
I got the idea for this recipe from Cooks Illustrated but it was a muffin recipe with a plain vanilla crumb topping. I decided to change it up a bit by adding a cocoa topping, I used Greek yogurt ,and I made it into a cake instead. In my opinion, can’t get much better than a yummy Crumb Cake.
I have made this cake so many times. Needless to say, it is one of those dunkers for the Italian in his morning café latte and my perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee or tea.
You really do need a higher pan just to hold all that yummy crumb topping so I use a springform pan. It also makes it easy to release the cake from the pan when you’re ready to serve it.
As my youngest daughter says, the chocolate crumb topping is the best part. Vanilla Chocolate Crumb Cake actually becomes a two-layer cake – vanilla cake on the bottom and buttery chocolate crumbs on top.
Crumb Topping Ingredients
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Cocoa powder
- Melted butter
- Cake flour
Cake Ingredients
- Cake flour – homemade or store bought
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Softened butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg – room temperature
- Large egg yolk – room temperture
- Greek yogurt – room temperature
- Milk – room temperature (I use 2% or whole milk)
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Cake Flour
For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.
Why use room temperature ingredients?
With cakes and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a silky batter or dough, which will help to create a light tender baked good.
How to Make the Cake
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
To make the crumb topping, whisk both kinds of sugars, salt, and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Add the flour and stir with a fork until the mixture forms clumps. Set the topping aside while you make the cake.
In a separate medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in the sugar and beat it into the butter until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and extra egg yolk and then add the yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in three batches mixing between each until just combined.
Spread the batter in a prepared 8″ springform pan and sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of the vanilla batter.
Bake the cake at 350°F for about one hour. Allow it to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving it.
Tips for the Best Crumb Cake
Use room temperature ingredients for this recipe. This makes it easy to mix the batter without overmixing it. Overmixing will make your cake dry and dense.
Leftover cake should be covered with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature. It will keep for three to four days.
You can also freeze this cake. Once it’s completely cooled, Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer container. It will keep for three months.
I hope this vanilla chocolate crumb cake recipe becomes your new family-favourite recipe. It’s the best anytime cake. Enjoy!
More Crumb Cake Recipes
- Ricotta Crumb Cake with Chocolate Chips
- Cinnamon Crumb Cake
- Blueberry Crumb Cake
- Italian Peach Crumb Cake
Vanilla Chocolate Crumb Cake
Ingredients
CRUMB TOPPING
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ cup cocoa
- ½ cup butter melted (cooled to warm)
- 1½ cups cake/pastry flour*
VANILLA CAKE
- 1¼ cups cake/pastry flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt**
- 6 tablespoons butter** (softened)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons greek yogurt (room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons milk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
*To make homemade cake/pastry flour for every cup of all purpose flour remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift together to remove any lumps.
**If using unsalted butter then add 1/4 teaspoon of salt
For room temperature remove ingredients from the fridge about 30-45 minutes before using.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°. Lightly grease and flour an 8 inch spring form cake pan or regular cake pan.
CRUMB TOPPING
- In a medium bowl whisk together sugars, salt and cocoa add warm melted butter and stir to combine, add flour and mix with a fork until moist clumps appear, set aside.
FOR THE VANILLA CAKE
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl beat butter until smooth & creamy then add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, continue beating while adding egg and yolk, (one at a time), then add the yogurt, milk and vanilla, add the flour mixture a third at a time beating just until mixed. Spread in prepared pan and cover cake batter with crumb topping, do not press down. Bake approximately 1 hour. Let cool. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from November 27, 2015.
Hi Rosemary,
If I were to make giant size cupcakes, what would the bake time be? Love all your recipes. Can’t wait to try this.
Diane
Hi Diane, thanks so much, I would start checking at the 15-20 minute mark. They should be done around that time. Hope that helps. Let me know how they turn out.
Hi Rosemary. I hope you and your family enjoyed Thanksgiving. Just printed this recipe. There can never be enough recipes with crumbs. Have a nice weekend.