QC wanted a New Jersey Crumb Cake and who am I to object? She asked for a layer of apples sandwiched between the cake and crumble topping. It was suggested, next time, to make the layer of apples thicker, so I adjusted the recipe accordingly.

The finished cake was quite sweet, due to the very thick layer of crumble topping, (no complaint, just fact.)

The overall cake was very good and well worth making again.

New Jersey Crumb Cake

INGREDIENTS
Topping
• 1 ½ c brown sugar
• 1 ½ Tbl ground cinnamon
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• 2 ¼ c cake flour
• ¾ c RT butter melted (1 ½ sticks)
• 2 sweet apples, sliced ¼” thick
Cake
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ c sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 RT large egg
• ½ c RT buttermilk
• Spray canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Confectioners sugar

METHOD
Preheat oven to 325°

1. Cut 16-inch length parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Cut excess. Spray 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into pan, pushing it into corners and up sides.
2. Let excess paper hang over the sides of the pan. Affix to the sides of the pan with metal binder clips. Spray the piece of parchment paper and repeat with a piece of parchment laying in the opposite direction.
   Crumb topping
3. Whisk sugar, cinnamon, salt, and all purpose flour in medium bowl to combine. Add melted butter and mix with sturdy rice paddle or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, crumbly dough. Refrigerate while you make the cake batter.
   Cake batter
4. Sauté apples to at denté in a frying pan with 1 tablespoon butter
5. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
6. Mix buttermilk, vanilla and egg until combined.
7. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined.
   Assemble and bake
8. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Spread evenly.
9. Add sautéed apples evenly in two layers across the batter.
10. Break crumb topping apart, with your fingers, into pea-sized and slightly larger pieces and spread in even layer over batter, beginning with edges and then working toward center. It will seem like a lot of topping, but it’s worth it!
11. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, rotating the pan after 20 minutes then continue baking.
12. Let cool at least 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Dust powdered sugar over the top of the cake.