Crumb Cake Cupcakes
The Jersey Shore's beloved crumb cake, transformed! These cupcakes honor the Garden State's bakery tradition with a thin layer of buttery vanilla cake buried under a mountain of thick, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crumb topping. More crumb than cake - exactly as it should be.
Equipment Needed
Instructions
Make the crumb topping first: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or your hands until large, chunky crumbs form. The mixture should hold together when squeezed but still be crumbly. Refrigerate while preparing the batter.
Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C) - note the slightly lower temperature to prevent burning the crumbs. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined. Mix in vanilla extract.
Combine: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix on low speed just until combined.
Fill the liners sparingly: Divide the batter among the 12 liners - only fill each about 1/4 to 1/3 full. The cake is intentionally thin! This is a crumb cake, after all.
Pile on the crumbs: Top each cupcake with a generous mound of crumb topping - use about 2-3 tablespoons per cupcake, piling it high. The crumb layer should be at least twice as thick as the cake layer. Don't press down - let the crumbs stay loose and chunky.
Bake: Bake for 28-32 minutes, until the crumbs are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the cake portion comes out clean. The crumbs should be set but still slightly soft. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack.
Dust with powdered sugar: Once completely cooled, generously dust the tops with powdered sugar using a fine mesh sieve. This is the classic New Jersey finish!
💡 Pro Tips & Variations
- The Jersey Shore ratio: Traditional NJ crumb cake has MORE crumb than cake. These cupcakes honor that tradition - the cake is just there to hold the crumbs together!
- Big crumbs matter: Don't break up the crumbs too small. New Jersey crumb cake is famous for those big, chunky, buttery crumbs that practically melt in your mouth.
- Temperature is key: The lower baking temperature (325°F) prevents the crumbs from browning too fast while allowing them to cook through and get that perfect texture.
- Butter quality: Use the best butter you can find. Since these are essentially butter delivery systems, the quality really shows.
- Shore tradition: NJ crumb cake is a shore breakfast staple. Serve warm with coffee, preferably while watching the sunrise over the Atlantic.
- Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re-dust with powdered sugar before serving if needed.