Can’t find any any crumb (AKA coffee) cake plastic-free at the store? Or maybe you’re tired of making banana bread whenever your bananas get a bit too ripe. This recipe can solve both problems.
Watch the video for this recipe:
This recipe is delicious, full of potassium (and butter), and will make your house smell like the holidays. You can easily swap the 8×8” baking dish for 2 loaf pans – just make sure you share that second cake — ’tis the season, after all!
But if you’re looking for a new recipe that will satisfy your sweet tooth with a moist and tasty cake topped with crunchy, cinnamon crumbs… look no further, friend. I got you.
Crunchy crunchy crunchy.
Cinnamon Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup cold butter preference, cut into small cubes (I used Miyoko’s vegan butter)
- 1 cup wheat flour (can also use AP flour)
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar (make your own vegan version)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Batter:
- 2 cups wheat flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3-4 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
- 1/2 cup Miyoko’s butter, softened to room. (I carefully warmed mine up in the oven as it pre-heated)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350F
Start with the cinnamon crumb topping: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the wheat flour, brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon. Then, mix in the cold butter cubes to form small crumbs. I used my hands, which helped incorporate the wet and dry ingredients, then broke up the pieces into crumbs. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining 2 cups of wheat flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Peel the bananas and mash with a fork.
In a 3rd (yes third!) large mixing bowl, cream together 1/2 cup softened butter with sugar. Once creamy, stir in the applesauce, vanilla, and lastly the mashed bananas.
Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture until evenly incorporated. If you see chunks of bananas or butter, that’s okay.
Now grease an 8×8” baking dish (I used the inside of the Miyoko’s butter wrapper) and pour 1/2 of the batter into the dish, spreading the batter evenly with a spoon or spatula.
Then sprinkle 1/2 the crumb mixture on top, in a relatively even layer, don’t skip the edges.
Next, carefully pour the remaining batter over the crumbs, almost as if you are making a trifle, and slowly spread the batter over the crumbs, careful not to intermingle them too much, you want to keep the layers separate the give it that awesome crunchy, sugary texture.
Finally, sprinkle all the remaining crumb mixture on top of the cake, again, spreading as evenly as possible.
Baking at 350F for 55-60 minutes, until you can insert a knife into the center and it comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. The inner sugar layer will be lava-hot when you take it out.
Storage:
In a sealed container, you can store this coffee cake for 2-3 days at room temperature, or for a week in the fridge… but it won’t last that long 😉
I hope you enjoy!!
Zero Waste California 
This came out perfect. Perfect recipe
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This sounds insanely good. never thought about using a banana in crumb cake
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