Bakers, I need some advise on crumbs.

I’ve tried four times now to bake a crumb cake. The crumbs keep melting into the cakes making them look quite unedible, more like the Grand Canyon, then a cake.

I’ve tried first following the directions in the recipie exactly, they melted. Then I tried to sprinkle the crumbs on during the last five minutes of the baking, they melted. I tried making the crumbs smaller and bigger, mixing them with a spoon, pastry cutter, mixer, nothing seems to be working out for me.

Can anyone give me the trick to making nice big crumbs for my crumb cakes ?

Thanks.

Can you repost the recipe you’re using? I’ve never had a problem with a streusel topping: a mixture of crumbled walnuts, butter, flour, and brown sugar has always served me well.

Daniel

Here’s the recipie I used. I like big crumbs and I’m just getting a melted mess.

Ingredients:
2 C. sugar
3 C. flour
4 T. Crisco
1 t. salt

Mix together into crumbs. Take two handfuls out and put aside into another bowl. Add to what is left in first bowl:

3 t. baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/4 C. milk

Mix well. Pour into two greased and floured round cake pans. To the two handfuls of crumb mixture add:

2 T. margarine
1 t. cinnamon

Mix into crumbs; sprinkle over batter in cake pans. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Can be eaten warm or cooled.

Hmm…that’s not much like the recipes for streusel I’ve done. The one thing that jumps out at me is the “two handfuls” measurement: is it possible that they’re referring to much larger handfuls than yours? If so, then the amount you’re reserving for crumbs may be not nearly enough to stand up to the addition of 2T margerine.

I’d recommend trying the recipe with more reserved crumbs, see if that makes a difference. Or just try a different recipe.

Daniel

Here is the streusel topping I got from an elderly German lady. I use it on the tops of things like cobblers, Dutch apple pie, open faced fruit tarts, and so on.

250 grams(8.75 ounces) butter, in small pieces
250 grams(8.75 ounces) sugar
375 grams(10.5 ounces) flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Sift together the dry ingredients and add them to a bowl with the butter. Working quickly, with your fingertips or a fork, mix the butter into the dry things, It should not end up as one lump, but should be in the crumbly form you desire, smaller or larger.