An ultra tender cake is topped with a tangy and smooth lemon curd topping and a buttery crumb coating. This Lemon Crumb Cake is more than an ordinary coffee cake. This cake is a dessert fit for a queen!
Every once in a while we need a dose of lemon to brighten everything up! Whether lemon is a flavoring in your food or a scent in your home, it has a way of making everything feel sunny, bright and fresh; I love it! When I am in the mood to liven things up, I always reach for lemons!
What’s A Crumb Cake?
A crumb cake is a cake that is topped with a crumbly, flour-based topping. Often, the flour is combined with granulated sugar and cold butter is cut in until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles in size. The mixture will bake up as part of the cake and it will be crumbly and tender.
What Is The Difference Between Crumb Cake and Coffee Cake?
Crumb cakes and coffee cakes are pretty similar. The biggest difference in these cakes is the amount of streusel topping used. Coffee cake has less streusel topping and a thicker. Crumb cake has a thicker and chunkier layer of streusel on top and a thinner cake layer.
How To Make A Lemon Crumb Cake
This cake will start off by making lemon curd. Lemon curd is quite easy to make, it just takes time to set up. Some people make lemon curd in a saucepan, but I think I use a microwave. This takes the cooking time down to just minutes and the taste is just as good!
STEP ONE – Whisk together the sugar and the eggs. Stir in lemon juice and zest. Slowly whisk in the melted butter and place the bowl in the microwave. Heat the lemon mixture in 1-minute intervals or until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Refrigerate the lemon curd until it has set.
STEP TWO – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square pan with non-stick spray and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and lemon zest. Add sugar and continue to mix until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down your bowl as necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
STEP THREE – Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternatively with the yogurt. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Spread lemon curd over the batter.
STEP FOUR – To prepare the crumb, combine the flour, sugar, and butter cubes in a bowl. Break down the butter with two forks or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like small pebbles. Sprinkle over the cake and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and set.
Lemon Crumb Cake Tips
Store-bought lemon curd can certainly be used in place of the homemade lemon curd
When combining your ingredients, take care not to overbeat the batter, you want to keep the cake light and fluffy.
I like to use a pastry cutter to blend the butter into the flour and sugar mixture. You only want to cut until the mixture resembles small pebbles. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, two forks will work.
You can use your fingers, however, the warmth of your hands will change the temperature of the butter. You want to use COLD butter. Cold butter will help the crumbs stay together and keep the crumb mixture from spreading and melting.
Can I Freeze This Crumb Cake?
Yes, this cake is easy to freeze!
When your cake has cooled completely, cover the cake in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil to prevent the cake from drying. Place the cake in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Allow the cake to thaw to room temperature before serving.
Lemon Crumb Cake Recipe
An ultra tender cake is topped with a tangy and smooth lemon curd topping and a buttery crumb coating. This Lemon Crumb Cake is more than an ordinary coffee cake. This cake is a dessert fit for a queen!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 lemon zested
For the cake
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
For the crumb
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the lemon curd: In a microwave safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and the eggs. Stir in lemon juice and zest. Slowly whisk in the melted butter and place the bowl in the microwave. Heat the lemon mixture in 1-minute intervals or until the mixture becomes thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Refrigerate the lemon curd until it has set.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square pan with non-stick spray and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and lemon zest. Add sugar and continue to mix until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down your bowl as necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternatively with the yogurt. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Spread lemon curd over the batter.
- To prepare the crumb, combine the flour, sugar and butter cubes in a bowl. Break down the butter with two forks or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like small pebbles. Sprinkle over the cake and bake for 45-50 minute or until golden and set.
- Serve cake with powdered sugar.
Notes
Jarred lemon curd can be used in place of homemade.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 471Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 129mgSodium 284mgCarbohydrates 65gFiber 1gSugar 47gProtein 6g
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
Absolutely gorgeous! This would be great served any time of the day. Thanks for the link-love!
Lemonsforlulu says
Thank you!
Carolyn says
Such a beautiful cake. Pinning this gorgeousness!
Georgia Addison says
I love cake and this recipe make me so hungry. So I will surely try it today. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Silvana says
Delicious love love love it. Does in need refrigeration
Tanya Schroeder says
I’m so glad Silvana! This does not require refrigeration.
Nancy T Campion says
Going to make this for our families Mothers day brunch in love lemon looks delis
Nancy T Campion says
Looks delicious I love lemon so much will make for our Mothers day brunch!,,
Carol says
This cake is deliciously lemony, and I have made it twice. But the first time it overflowed an 8 inch square pan, spilling onto the oven floor. The second time I used a 9 inch round pan and it would have overflowed again, but the pan had extra high sides. Anyone else have this problem?
Tanya Schroeder says
Carol, I will have to research..I have never had a problem with my cake overflowing.
Kris says
Yes!! I was making two and the first overflowed. I used a 13 by 9 for the second. Waiting for results of second but just wanted to check if this was a common problem.
Tanya Schroeder says
I’m sorry you had that problem! I haven’t had that issue. I will have to try to figure out what happened.
Kris says
So the pan that was smaller was delicious even though it over flowed. The 13 by 9 was great, but didn’t have the lightness of the other. It was requested again by family but to make the “overflowed” cake. So I did some math and it was all my fault. I used an 11 by 7 the first time thinking it was roughly equal to an 8 by 8 but doing some math it is less in volume. Made again in the recommended 8 by 8 and it was great,
Tanya Schroeder says
Kris, I am so happy you stuck with it and had success yay!! Thank you for leaving your comments and your experiences…and of course, for trying the recipe!
Julie says
How much lemon juice do you add to the cake batter? It calls for juice from 1 lemon but that amount can vary depending on size of lemon. Do you ever use real lemon juice in a bottle?
Tanya Schroeder says
You can certainly use lemon juice from a bottle. I would add 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the batter.
lil says
can I use sour cream for the yogurt
Tanya Schroeder says
Absolutely!
Eddie Plummer says
Can I leave the yogurt out?
Tanya Schroeder says
The yogurt does add the necessary liquid to the recipe. You can use sour cream instead!
Wendy says
Followed directions and my cake is flowing out of the pan all over the oven😩
Tanya Schroeder says
I’m so sorry to hear that. I just made this recipe this week, I did not have an overflow issue. You did use an 8 x 8 pan?