If you read my blog with any regularity, you know I’m a crumb fiend. I love piling crumbs on everything, like this. Or this. Or this.
There’s no exception to that rule on Passover. In fact, while some people call it the holiday of matza, I call it the holiday of crumbs. If you’re wondering why, think about what matza does. It crumbles everywhere. On floors. In hair. Between tiles. Atop light fixtures.
And there I am, broom and dustpan at the ready, to clean it all up. Which is actually a huge step for me, because I am not good at keeping the house clean, much as I try.
I have this theory that we’re all really good at organizing specific elements of life and total crap at getting others together. I’m sure you’re thinking, well, duh. But the people I know who have really clean and organized houses might not be able to get their work desks clean. And the people who get up at the crack of dawn every day to work out (ahem) might never clear out their cars. And the people who can plan out meals for the whole week and do the shopping in one go might not ever be able to work in the time to exercise.
In other words, we’re human. And we tend to focus on what we’re bad at instead of patting ourselves on the back for our natural skills. I mean, I have crazy strong willpower. I have to, for heaven’s sake. I’m a dessert blogger. But I can’t stop getting on my own case about the fact that my house always looks like a hurricane has gone through it.
So if I’m gonna give myself some props right now, let’s get to this crumb cake. It’s a Passover recipe, and it’s seriously the best one in my arsenal. This comes from Susie Fishbein’s Passover by Design cookbook. If you’re not familiar with her work, she has changed the face of kosher cooking in America. Her books are seriously amazing, and I can’t recommend them enough.
Every year when I bake this cake, it gets destroyed. Almost immediately. I make this for our family holiday meal, and I watch it disappear before my eyes. I have some very picky eaters at these get-togethers, and some people really hate Passover food. Regardless, they all love this cake.
It’s also blindingly easy to make. If you’re in a city where the lady finger cookies on top aren’t available, substitute any bland, vanilla-type cookie. The idea is to make a crumb topping without having to go through the usual process.
When you’re done, you have a cinnamon-studded cake that can give any non-Passover cake a run for its money. Truth be told, if I were being super hard on myself, I wouldn’t even post this recipe, since I didn’t make it up. But really, let’s be honest. My house is a mess. Sometimes I need a little help. None of that matters when you consider that I can bake up a crumb cake that anyone will eat on Passover. Now that’s something worth celebrating!
Ingredients
Cake
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (available in kosher specialty stores)
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1 cup potato starch
Crumb Topping
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 8-oz. box Passover ladyfingers (I used the Oberlander brand, also called "baby fingers")
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the cake ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, make the crumb topping. In a bowl, combine the topping ingredients and use your fingers to make crumbs.
- Spread the crumb mixture evenly over the cake and bake for 35 additional minutes.
- Cool and cut into squares.
3.1
http://justaboutbaked.com/passover-crumb-cake/
My perspective on food blogging, is not only to share “original” recipes, but to offer our readers wonderful recipes we have found elsewhere that we know they will love. Take this amazing looking crumb cake for example. Thank you for sharing it AND for bringing Susie Fishbein to my attention ( Passover by Design is now on my library request list!) . The idea of using those packaged Passover cookies for crumb topping is genius because, as you said, all they do it turn into crumbs anyway! Can’t wait to try this. 🙂 Pinned to my Passover board.
Wendy recently posted…Easter Sugar Cookies and Military Care Package #11
I’m a HUGE fan of her books, Wendy. It’s the Kosher by Design series, and honestly, she is incredible. Her recipes always get rave reviews from my family! And thanks for those really kind words. I think we all beat ourselves up about things we shouldn’t, and it’s nice to have friendly voices to tell us otherwise!
If only you could see my house right now! It is so true, none of us can do it all and do it well! This crumb cake looks delicious – the more crumbs the better!
Kristine @ Kristine’s Kitchen recently posted…6 Simple Tricks for Healthy Snacking
Let’s have a messy house contest, Kristine. 🙂 Thanks so much!
We definitely can’t do it all, and thinking we can is what sets us up for failure. Sometimes we just have to do the best we can.
I made my first crumb cake the other day. It was delicious.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Spring Vegetable Pitta Pizzas by Dannii
Very wise words as always, Dannii! Oooh, that’s so exciting. I hope you fully enjoyed it. Crumb cake is the BEST.
Mir – I adore crumb cake; this one looks like it’s delicious. Usually I’m pretty good about keeping the house clean, but with two dogs (and sometimes four) that can be difficult. If I had children of my own, I probably wouldn’t even attempt to clean until the weekend. 🙂
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg recently posted…Gluten-free Fiesta Salsa
Sometimes four?! Good lord, Erin, you have your hands full! I have three kids, so maybe that’s similar. They make such huge messes!
I can never pass up a good crumb cake! This looks incredible, Mir! And the messy crumbs are worth it in the end, right? 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Fresh Strawberry Sauce
I love eating the messy crumbs, so for sure, Gayle!
Girl this cake looks and sounds so delicious! I am also “most of the time” not really able to keep the house clean! Like last night I realised my kitchen was such a mess that it took me 3 whole hours to clean it!! Foodbloggers life I say hehe!
Ami@NaiveCookCooks recently posted…{One Pot} Fish Paella
You are so right, Ami. I try to do my food blogger dishes, but sommehow, my family compounds the problem by doing really awful things, like leaving socks under the kitchen table. Why do they do that?!
This crumb cake looks divine! Love the flavour – so yummy and fluffy!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext recently posted…Spicy Thai Crab Cakes with Lemon & Lime Aiöli
Thanks, Jess! I’m a big fan of fluffy.
I love a good crumb cake and this one looks perfect!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) recently posted…Orange Honey Roast Chicken
Crumb cake should be its own dessert category, Jocelyn!
Mir, I agree with Wendy, the first commenter above. . I mean, because come on, as food bloggers, we are immersed in food and I love sharing great recipes I’ve found, with my spin on it. . I think we are into food and baking more than regular people so sharing stuff that we’ve found is always a good thing! and love crumbs. . hello fellow crumb fiend. 🙂 I love this! and I’ll take a cinnamon studded cake that looks like this any day! love it!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom recently posted…The Best Chinese Chicken Salad
Thanks so much, Alice. While I’d love to invent all of my recipes, it’s great to share the brilliance of my fellow dessert lovers (you included!). Crumb fiends unite!
I love those big huge crumbs. They are my fav. I could never get them, but then I learned how and now I can’t go small. 🙂 This cake looks delicious! Wish I had a slice right now!
Cyndi – My Kitchen Craze recently posted…Strawberry Cheesecake Crumb Bars
Once you learn, it’s priceless. I’m so glad you’re a crumb fan too, Cyndi!