Old Fashioned Lemon Crumb Cake Recipe

I love a plain crumb cake with a lemony flavor, no cinnamon in this one like the traditional coffee cake versions. The cake is light, the topping is a buttery crumb and the lemon flavoring is perfect!

CRUMB TOPPING: 

2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1-3/4 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons lemon juice


2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Confectioners sugar for dusting

Topping:
Mix sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice with food coloring if using, add salt and butter in medium bowl to combine.
Add flour and stir with a rubber spatula until mixture resembles very large course pieces. Set aside.

Cake Batter:
Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Butter generously an 8 inch square baking dish and  to make sure it won't stick. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, add flour, sugar, baking soda, powder and salt on low speed to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add egg, oil,  sour cream, eggs, lemon, vanilla and beat on medium high speed until light around 1 minute.Transfer batter to baking dish using rubber spatula to spread batter into even layer.

Break apart crumb topping into large pea sized pieces and spread in even layer over batter.

Bake until and wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool at least 30 minutes.
Dust with confectioners sugar just before serving

Alternate Recipe

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix with pudding

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup canola oil

Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions

Combine topping ingredients cut in butter for this topping and set aside. In a bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, eggs and oil. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with crumbs.  Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.