 |
| "Gather the crumbs of happiness and they will make you a loaf of contentment." (or at least a cake of contentment) |
Remember marble cake day? I wrote about Entenmann's cakes, how my mom was a fan. She liked their coffee cake so I planned on replicating a coffee ring cake. I was undecided about making my own coffee cake, or using a published recipe, so I decided to surf the 'net. I came across a caption about a New Jersey Crumb Cake. In a flash I remembered how my mom really liked the Entenmann's crumb cake too, thus I clicked on the link. Up came a story about a crumb cake "Jersey style" and they waxed poetic about the super thick layer of crumb, specifically referencing Entenmann's cake. I remember that crumb cake from Entenmann's, it had a pretty thick layer of crumb, but I didn't think it was anything special about New Jersey, or even East Coast. Maybe I should rethink that though. Any of you out there in possession of Isa's "Vegan Brunch" book know full well she has her East Coast Crumb Cake published in there. I can't remember for sure but I think she may add blueberries to hers. That's an excellent recipe by the way. So Isa has "East Coast' crumb cake, and today I see New Jersey crumb cake, maybe it IS a thing to have extra crumb in New Jersey? I've eaten at lots of diners (usually between midnight and 4am, no it was not a thing, there was cake and crumbs but no one called it Jersey crumb cake or whatever. It was just cake. I'd say that we didn't put "Jersey" in front of certain foods, but that would be a lie... I mean really don't get me started on corn NOT from Jersey and by the way don't ever even think about eating pizza in Florida if you're from New Jersey or you'll be scarred for life (yes I've eaten pizza here and no it's not pizza, neither are the bagels no matter how hard they may try). I met someone who was born and raised in Florida, they actually thought Domino's pizza was pizza, I almost wept.
In honor of my mom and her love for all things crumb, here's a crumb cake. I think she secretly liked the crumb cake simply because no one else in the house really went for it. That crumb cake would last a really long time, she was probably so happy to have something just for her. I remember mom drinking tea with her crumb cake, I think it was Twinings, but I cannot remember the flavor. Mom's been gone a long time, little details like that tend to often fade away. It bothers me.
If you scroll below, I've typed out the recipe. The recipe I followed was not vegan, so I veganized it. I do not provide links to non-vegan recipes. I'm gonna say... the cake part of this isn't bad at all. I mean, it's a breakfast coffee cake, plain but it has that true coffee cake flavor, you know what I'm talking about, right? But the crumb topping is ridiculous. I'm not sure if it's good or bad... it's about twice the thickness of the cake. This is what the person who wrote the recipe was waxing poetic about... the crumb... the Jersey crumb. Going in, I knew this was going to be a very thick crumb layer, it had THREE CUPS of flour in just the topping, that's a lot of crumb. I think if I were to make this cake again, I'd reduce the topping by half. Maybe it's me... perhaps I've lost my Jersey forever, but it's just too sweet and too much everything for me. This cake would still be tasty without all that extra sweet, just unnecessary. But... maybe someone from Jersey will read this and think I'm nuts because Jersey crumb cake is supposed to have at least an inch thick crumb on top of that wee cake layer. You do you.... have at it. I've used aquafaba for the egg replacer, but I also think EnerG brand egg replacer would do just fine. Flax will work but it will leave flecks and even I say that's a no-no in the cake layer here. Aquafaba gives this cake a really delicate crumb (no pun intended) but the topping layer is so thick, and a little crunchy/hard in some spots, the tender cake gets lost. I happen to know this cake is too sweet because the other happy vegan already tasted the topping and went "mmmmm keep me some of that."
Jersey Crumb Coffee Cake (recipe from Erren's Kitchen veganized by me)
TOPPING:
1.5 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2T cinnamon
1t salt
2.5 sticks melted vegan butter (I used Earth Balance it's what was available, but I would prefer Miyoko's)
3 cups (yes THREE CUPS) flour
powdered sugar for dusting
FOR THE CAKE:
2.5 cups flour
1t baking soda
1t baking powder
1/4t salt
1.5 sticks softened vegan butter
6T aquafaba
1 1/4 non-dairy milk w/1t vinegar to curdle
1.5t vanilla
Prep your topping: in a bowl, mix both sugars, and the warm melted vegan butter and stir to blend. Add the flour and mix w/a fork til moist clumps form. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350 (325 for convection), grease a 13x9 pan (I used Vegelene). In a mixing bowl whisk/sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the softened vegan butter til fluffy. Add the aquafaba, 3T at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the curdled non-dairy milk (I used soy) and the vanilla, and beat til just blended. Add the flour in 3 additions, beating til just blended after each addition. Spread the cake batter into your prepared pan. Now, the topping: take your time and take little balls that you sort of "pinch" into a shape and place each little pinched ball onto the cake, yes one by one. Don't dump the topping on, it will likely just sink into one spot and ruin your cake. Take your time, stare out your window as you make little pinched cinnamon topping balls for 10 minutes and add them to your cake. I saw little finches and 2 Key deer walk by while my mind wandered during this time. It was kinda nice. You will have a VERY thick layer of topping when you are done.
Cover the pan for 1/2 hour and bake. Uncover the pan at 30 minutes and bake another 20-30 minutes. It won't look done, but do not over do it... the topping will get super hard if over baked, just do a toothpick test for doneness at about 50 minues and go from there.
Let set to cool, dust with confectionary sugar. Slice serve it with a hot cup of caw-fee. Yup, as the saying goes you can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of the girl. I don't think I'd want it any other way.
#25 over and out.
xo
No comments:
Post a Comment