Brown butter hits 350°F to create nutty compounds that didn't exist seconds before—chemistry transforms boring butter into liquid hazelnut.
BROWN BUTTER COFFEE CRUMB CAKE
This Brown Butter Coffee Crumb Cake is the ultimate soft and fluffy coffee cake, featuring a warm cinnamon swirl filling and topped with my mom’s famous crumb topping for the perfect balance of texture and flavor. Baked to golden perfection and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze, this cozy and indulgent cake is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat with coffee.
The Story
This Germanic coffee house staple crashed into American diners during the 1950s Pennsylvania Dutch migration, when German bakers discovered that brown butter—a technique perfected in Alsace-Lorraine—could transform their traditional streuselkuchen into something that paired brilliantly with bottomless coffee refills, creating the crumb cake empire that now dominates every New York bakery window from Brooklyn to the Bronx.
Regional Twist
In Milwaukee's German Quarter, they replace half the all-purpose flour with rye flour and spike the brown sugar filling with cardamom, creating a darker, earthier crumb that pairs with their legendary morning coffee culture.
Prep
15
min
Cook
90
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup (296 ml) greek yogurt
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- baking powder (to taste)
- baking soda (to taste)
- 1 cup (100 g) brown sugar
- cinnamon (to taste)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (118 ml) milk of choice
- 1 cup (200 g) powdered sugar
- salt (to taste)
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter
- vanilla extract (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9” tall springform or cheesecake pan with butter, then line the bottom with parchment paper. OR, grease a 9x13” baking pan with butter. Set aside.
- 2
Prepare filling: Prepare the cinnamon filling by mixing together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
- 3
Brown the butter for the cake: Add the 1 cup of butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Allow to melt and slightly brown (~5-8 minutes). Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a large bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.
- 4
Prepare crumb topping: While the brown butter is cooling, prepare the crumb topping. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the softened butter, flour, both sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla until fully combined (the mixture will be very soft and clumpy). Set aside (do not place in the fridge).
- 5
Continue making the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. Add both sugars to the bowl with the brown butter and whisk to combine. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until combined and smooth. Then, add in the greek yogurt and milk. Whisk until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and fold to mix until just combined. Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling all over the cake batter. Carefully spread the remaining cake batter on top of the filling. Then, evenly disperse the crumb topping all over the top.
- 6
Bake, cool, and serve: For a 9” springform pan, bake at 350F for 90-95 minutes (check at 1 hour for browning; tent with foil if needed). For a 9x13” baking pan, bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. While cooling, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cake. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown butter to 285-300°F (medium amber color) to develop nutty compounds, but immediately transfer to a cool bowl to prevent burning from residual heat.technique285-300°F
- ✓Keep crumb topping at room temperature rather than chilling - cold butter creates dense, hard crumbs instead of the desired tender, crumbly texture.ingredient
- ✓For springform pans, tent with foil after 60 minutes to prevent over-browning since the 90-95 minute bake time can darken the crumb topping excessively.timing60 minutes
- ✓Fold cake batter until just combined (10-15 gentle strokes) to prevent gluten overdevelopment, which creates a tough, dense crumb in coffee cake.technique10-15 strokes
- ✓Use a 9-inch springform pan instead of 9x13 for superior texture - the taller, slower bake (90 vs 40 minutes) allows better moisture retention and crumb development.equipment90 vs 40 minutes
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