2/26/10

banana-espresso crumb cake


Another crumb cake? Absolutely. When you go crumb cake you go big baby! I am on a crumb cake mission: to make as many flavor combos as I can. I love a good crumb cake. Yeah yeah I know I say it all the time, but a good crumb cake should have the following: moist cake, crunchy & thick crumbs with a hint of salt, and a higher or equal ratio of crumbs to cake. Right? Good.
So this inspiration comes from Baked. Inside that little jewel of a cookbook is a banana-espresso muffin recipe that is to die for. I took that recipe and turned it into a crumb cake. I did a bunch of tweaking and think I've found the right balance. And instead of using espresso, I used those little Starbuck Via's. I love those little guys. Have you tried them? They truly taste just like espresso, no bitterness at all. My only complaint is I wish they would come down on the price a bit for those of us that buy them in mass quantities.
This crumb cake was fabulous. I did not keep it in the house at all, I gave it away and fast. The original recipe for the banana-espresso muffins are just as fabulous too.
Note: the crumb topping makes A LOT of crumbs. Now I know my foodie friends love it that way, but I'm just warning ya. It's all good--all good.



banana-espresso crumb cake
fron vanillasugarblog.com
inspiration from Baked
print recipe

1 and ½ cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup half & half
1 large egg
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 and ½ packets of Starbucks Via
1 and ½ ts baking soda
1 ts sea salt
¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chips (I swear by Ghiradelli)
crumb topping (see below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8 ½ x 8 ½ pan (or a 9 x 9) with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, half & half, and egg.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour mixture into pan, then top with crumbs (see below).
Recipe by Dawn Finicane of vanillakitchen.blogspot.com Bake in the center of the oven for 35 - 45 minutes, depending on your oven. Watch them at the 35 minute mark; turn pan around midway through baking. Will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing in. If it’s hard to cut them, just stick it in the fridge to harden up.

crumb topping
1 and ½ cups flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 ts coarse salt
1 ts ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted & cooled
Confectioners' sugar for dusting, optional

In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients, pour melted butter over and toss with a rubber spatula until large crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over batter.

46 comments:

  1. oh my goodness heavenly! I do love the little vias and you know I'm a huge crumb fan. Great new header picture too. Hope you guys have a nice weekend

    ReplyDelete
  2. It just keeps gettin better and better. Please Don't stop! The biggest problem is deciding which one I want to make and then devour. By myself. Screw my healthy coffee cake. I want the real thing. Have a good weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'll take all the crumb cake you want to post, I love it. This sounds wicked good, love the flavor combos.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely crumb cake. Totally food porn!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Man your crumb toppings are no joke! Right on!
    ~ingrid

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's official. You're crumb obsessed. I may need to take you to crumb rehab.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I haven't had anything sweet in over 5 days. This is killing me!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooo....I love the thick crumb layer on top. Love it. LOVE. IT!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the addition of espresso and the crumb topping is just so good, yum!

    ReplyDelete
  10. those crumbs are calling out to me. Happy weekend..

    ReplyDelete
  11. Crumbs, crumbs, and more crumbs! LOVE IT!

    ReplyDelete
  12. omg, i need some of this :) we just need to get together!! i ain't all healthy ;)

    have a great weekend, despite the weather!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love that you make recipes your own and this is no different. This is screaming your name!

    I wish the Via was cheaper too. Sometimes they offer a coupon- look for them.

    ReplyDelete
  14. That? Is all I want for breakfast.

    ReplyDelete
  15. wow...when i opened up your post ...i said that is similar to the baked boys cupcakes...& then i read...
    great interpretation dawn!
    i am so going to re-create this cake...
    we love the boys @ baked & have visited their bakery...
    now this twist sounds fab & since i am snowed in...i know what i am baking today!
    thanks for this GREAT post!
    have a nice w/e.!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The more crumbilicious, the better! I'm all for an equal ratio of crumb to cake. I haven't tried Via yet but thanks for the reminder - hubs hasn't been inclined to fire up the espresso machine lately so I need a little help.

    Between this and your earlier raspberry buttermilk, I'm in feeling quite crumby! 8-D

    ReplyDelete
  17. Mmm what a beautiful cake.
    I love crumb cakes. I'm planning on making one tomorrow : )

    ReplyDelete
  18. Nice recipe although I'd go a little easy on the salt in the topping mine tasted a little to salty!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow, that looks divine...I love crumb cakes!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Can I just nibble away at the crumb and leave the cake at the bottom? Just because I want to? :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. crumbs crumbs and more crumbs! i love crumbs!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Awesome! I love crumb cakes, and made one the other day (blueberry). Banana and espresso sound great together. I really must try this.

    ReplyDelete
  23. more crumb = better cake, obviously. i don't think i've had a banana-coffee combination in anything, but you've proven that you know your stuff and i'm game to try!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I was hoping you'd continue with crumb cakes! Love 'em.
    Super idea to combine bananas with coffee and chocolate! Makes such a lovely dark cake. Will check into Starbuck Via's. That's new to me.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm with you - I adore crumb cakes! And a banana espresso version sounds so unique and tasty!

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is one good lookin crumb cake. If you are going to be serving more like this one, bring em on girl!

    ReplyDelete
  27. You are the Crumb Queen. No one makes it look as inviting as you do and I would kill for a slice of this. The Baked cookbook was an incredible recommendation, Dawn. I'm having a blast with it so far.

    ReplyDelete
  28. thanks for pointing that out Kevin! the crumb topping salt addition s/b 1 ts.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh my what a wonderful sounding combo

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love your ideas about crumb-cake ratio - truly delicious. This cake looks gorgeous, now I have a massive crumb cake craving!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Crumb Cake Deja Vu is the tastiest kind of Deja Vu! GREG

    ReplyDelete
  32. So, if I don't have the Starbucks packets, about how much instant espresso powder would you recc.?

    Sounds delish by the way, Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Dawn, you are killing me! These crumb cakes are fabulous and my waitline will be getting even more fabulous if i make and eat these!

    ReplyDelete
  34. ooh this is another recipe from BAKED that I want to try. looks amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  35. This looks amazing! I have a passion for crumb cake too and this one looks moist and delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Thick crumb topped coffee cakes are my weakness - this looks drool worthy.

    ReplyDelete
  37. It's crumby that's for sure- just the way I like it. I like to sneak some instant espresso powder in my banana cake/bread/muffin recipes too. But I must now add that big crumb layer too.

    ReplyDelete
  38. It certainly is all good Dawn. This looks so good. I know a lot of people that would really enjoy this cake, including myself.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I must be crumb challenged mine look smaller and I want the BIG globs of crumbs
    Any tricks to share on how to get the big boys for the next time I make this?

    ReplyDelete
  40. I have a banana bread obsession, but feel guilty making the same stuff over and over, so I was excited to find a sort of twist on the usual. This stuff is AMAZING -- I made it this morning, and everyone loved it. Thanks for an awesome recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I cannot wait to try this. This is the first recipe I've seen using Starbucks Via. Like you, I'm infatuated with them. They are a bit pricey. This looks awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Mmm. I just made those Baked muffins and we loved them. I think I'll try it in crumb cake form next time. What a great idea.

    ReplyDelete

I love your comments!

Share

Get This