Lemon Coffee Cake Crumble (Print View)
Soft coffee cake flavored with lemon zest and juice, topped with a buttery crumble for a delightful treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup sour cream
06 - 1/4 cup whole milk
07 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest
08 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Crumble Topping
13 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
17 - Pinch of salt
→ Lemon Glaze (optional)
18 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
19 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square cake pan.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon (if using), and salt in a small bowl. Cut in cold butter with a fork or fingers until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Evenly sprinkle crumble topping over batter.
07 - Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake before serving.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The crumble topping stays buttery and crispy even after a day, making leftovers taste almost better than fresh.
- It tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, but you'll have it in the oven in twenty minutes.
- Lemon flavor is bright but balanced—zesty without that mouth-puckering shock some coffee cakes have.
02 -
- Don't skip cooling the cake completely before glazing—warm cake will melt the glaze right off instead of letting it set into a pretty drizzle.
- If your crumble topping starts browning too fast, lay a piece of foil loosely over the cake halfway through baking to protect it.
03 -
- Zest your lemons with a microplane grater for fine, even pieces that distribute perfectly through the batter—it makes a real difference in the final flavor.
- If you forget to soften your butter, cut it into small cubes and it will soften faster, but never use melted butter as a shortcut because the crumb will be different.