Cake. Crumb Cake {an international cake of mystery}

The question everyone is asking is what is a crumb cake? Well, it's a cake with crumbs on top. Mystery solved. Well, I suppose not 100% solved as the next question is - is it any good? and the answer is yes. Yes, it is an amazing cake!

I was craving cinnamon the other day. Yup, not really sure where it came from, but I thought I wonder what that means if I'm craving cinnamon and according to the internet it means that I am going to die.

I know an over done joke, but it did say that craving cinnamon might be a sign that my body needs help regulating insulin and then further said it might be a sign of bigger health problems like diabetes and/or liver or kidney failure. Nothing to really joke about, but kind of feel this was a one off thing. I suppose if I start craving cinnamon on a regular basis I will pay a bit of attention.

It's not one of those things you can just eat. Cinnamon is best in baked in cake or cookies. It's a fact. Not that it's good if my body is trying to regulate insulin..... anyway!

Now, this crumb cake isn't the most cinnamon-y baked good out there, but it served it's purpose and fulfilled my craving of cinnamon. Now I have practically a whole cake left... I am sure I can find people to help me eat it!

As you aren't close by to have a slice here is how you can make it at home! Thanks to the boys at Outsider Tart... I've made very little changes to their recipe, but I did things the way I know how to do them.

Crumb Cake

crumb
225g unsalted butter, melted
380g plain flour
225g dark brown sugar
115g light brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a free standing mixer and using the paddle attachment beat until they form crumbs of all sizes. Don't over beat; it makes the crumbs tough. Set aside.

cake
525g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
225g unsalted butter, softened
340g caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
340g natural yogurt

Heat the oven to 180C and line a tray bake tin (30x23cm) with grease proof or baking paper. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, and salt. Leave to the side while you beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. I tend to beat the eggs in with a whisk as it gives it a less chance of separating the batter. Fold in the vanilla. Pour in a third of the flour and beat until just combined, follow with half the yogurt again beat until just combined. Follow with flour, yogurt, and last the rest of the flour. Spoon into the prepared pan and spread flat and fill in the corners before sprinkling half the crumb topping on top and gently press down into the batter before sprinkling the rest on top.
Bake for 45-60 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Towards the last few minutes place foil over the top to stop the crumbs from getting too dark and over cooked.
Use a skewer to test if the cake is done.
Cool in the tin before eating.

last notes: As mentioned this recipe was adapted from Baked in America by the David's at Outsider Tart! But in no way sponsored by them please see my contact/policy tab above! I got to meet them once I wrote about it here and if you ever want to know what it's like at their baker then check out this post! My friend made this cake too and shared it here!

Peanut Butter Birthday Crunch Cake

My littlest one had a birthday last Saturday and when I asked her what sort of cake I should make her she said “peanut butter.” Then I asked what she wanted for dinner (they always get what they want for dinner) I got the same response.

So, peanut butter it was. On Friday after nursery I made some chocolate cupcakes with a peanut butter frosting and on her actual birthday I thought I’d make this peanut butter crunch cake I had remembered reading about in the Outsider Tart book Baked in America.

I've been baking from this book now for 2 years and it’s finally dawned on me that they must use a fan-assisted oven. All the cakes I've baked from the book takes almost double the time suggested.

Anyhow we took her out for the day so I had a late afternoon start and because of the extra time needed to cook it through she went to bed without any birthday cake. Luckily she hadn't really noticed.

So, the following day I gave her a square after breakfast. It’s what we call in America a “coffee cake” because you eat it with a cup of coffee and since most people have coffee in the morning I thought it okay to give her as dessert after breakfast. Birthday’s are special and therefore I didn't feel guilty about giving her cake after breakfast. I already felt guilty enough for having terrible time management!

She took one look at it and declared she didn't like it. Didn't even try it, she just didn't like the look of it.

I should know better then to give a child a cake without frosting to be licked off and the cake left…

Lesson learned.

I liked it and everyone I pawned it off on liked it. So, despite the roller coaster of emotions I went through to please a now 4 year old it was a good cake!

Peanut Butter Crunch Cake

340g milk chocolate chips

115g smooth peanut butter

450g plain flour

450g light brown sugar

225g butter, softened

225g smooth peanut butter

4 large eggs

240ml whole milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarb of soda

½ tsp salt

Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan-assisted or 200F for a conventional oven. Grease and line a tray bake tin 12x9x2 inches or 30x23x5 cm, lightly dust with flour tap out any excess.

Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a bowl over a simmering pot of water. Stir occasionally, once melted remove from the heat and set aside. This is for a chocolate swirl in the middle and on top of the cake. (It reminds me of making puppy chow!)

In an electric mixer, on low, beat the flour, sugar, butter, and peanut butter until crumbs form. Remove 3 cups of the crumb mixture and set aside.

Add the eggs one at a time to the remaining crumb mixture. Then add the milk, vanilla, baking powder, bicarb, and salt. Beat until just combined.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared tin, then top with half the chocolate mixture gently swirl it together without combining before topping with the rest of the batter. Then drizzle the rest of the chocolate mixture on top.

Pour over the crumb topping you set aside and gently press down. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer test tells you that it’s done. Cover the cake with tin foil if the crumbs look like they are scorching. Let it cool completely before cutting up and eating!!

notes: recipe is from Outsider Tart’s Baked in America. I have skimmed back through the book and didn't read anywhere that they use fan-assisted. It could state it clearly somewhere? However, this is an observation I've made from baking from the book. Check out some of the other things I've baked from the book!

NY Crumb Cake!! {guest post}

I've always loved cake! Baking it. Eating it. Discussing it. I like to try new recipes but until recently haven't been that adventurous; inspired by Lisa and all things sweet I thought I'd like to bake a cake a little different to anything I have before.

A few months ago I had the pleasure of visiting Outsider Tart with Lisa (it was her birthday treat!) What an amazing experience - if you haven't been you really should!! There were lots of sweet treats to tempt us and I chose NY crumb cake. It looked amazing and I'd never heard of, let alone tried crumb cake. It was delicious. a sweet, dense sponge with a cinnamon "crumb" topping and icing. Having thoroughly enjoyed the experience I bought the book Baked in America and was thrilled to discover the recipe for NY crumb cake.

It is different to anything I've baked before but the recipe was easy to follow and I followed it to the letter. The only difference being the cake tin. I used a round tin which made a deeper cake which meant it took longer to bake than I expected but the extra wait was worth it! Once baked and cooled I made a simple icing using sugar, milk and vanilla (as recommended in the recipe) and this added the finishing touch. I was extremely pleased with the outcome and will be baking the cake again.

 ~ Lauren

Check out our visit to Outsider Tart!!

Crumb Cake Revisited:

check out the post here!

The Husband of a Home Baker {weekend baking with Janet}

Of all the reasons that I love baking, this reason surprised me as one of my favorites: my husband is a baking critic.

Not only does he keep it real while I'm baking; trying out all the goodies (and the not-so-goodies) but he can also spot a home baked item from first bite AND give a pretty accurate critique. For example he told me that he doesn't eat fondant and that he doesn't like to eat day old store bought cupcakes.

This amuses me because before I baked at home, he wouldn't have even known what fondant was!

He's brutally honest, which at first was a hard thing for me to take. Now I know he will not only be honest about the stuff that is not quite right, but also about the stuff that is. Then he showers me with praise, which is one of the unsurprising reasons I love to bake: the satisfaction of making something that is delicious!

I made these Whoopie Pies for my husbands pot luck at work - they are chocolate chip pies with Caramel Italian Meringue filling from Piece of Cake: Home Baking Made Simple by David Muniz and David Lesniak. They were a hit and really, really yummy! ~Janet 

 Whoopies - all boxed up and ready to go! :)

notes: Piece of Cake: Home Baking Made Simple by David Muniz and David Lesniak or Baked in America for the UK version

Outsider Tart, Chiswick {bakery tour}

I have been a fan of the David’s the owners of Outsider Tart since I bought myself a copy of their book 2 summers ago. I have stated more then once my love for their book Baked in America. I even traveled to Oxford to get them to sign it. So it's a bit odd that this was my first visit to the shop, store, café, bakery, all of the above?  

Thursday after my day at Cake Boy (see previous entry) my friend Lauren, picked me up and to avoid rush hour traffic hung out at Outsider Tart for a bit. It was on our way back to Berkshire, not that I needed an excuse to visit!

The day before I had tweeted them @OutsiderTart and asked what I should try as my birthday treat. I had a reply saying I should ask for him (David) when I got there because he was working on an ice cream sandwich.

Before I get to the ice cream sandwich can I just say that if you are planning to visit Outsider Tart you should go on Thursday night because it’s Chili Night and the chili was amazing! It was accompanied by the best corn bread I think I have ever had. Or at least the best I have had since I left Indiana in 1998.

Back to the ice cream sandwich…it was good! It was gorgeous! The vanilla ice cream middle was the perfect balance to the rich chocolate cookie outside. I hope they decide to add it to the menu! 

Thank you so much David for letting me try it out! I hope to visit again soon!!

Red Nose Day Sugar Cookies!!

Today is Red Nose Day!!

Should I be ashamed to admit I have not seen any of the Red Nose Day programs on TV?? I did watch the Great British Bake Off Red Nose Day competition, which I thought, was fun. I have also bought the accompanying book as I have bought Jamie Oliver’s books in the past to support Red Nose Day. I have also bought the girls Red Noses as I do every year…but this year I was given an opportunity to actually bake for it, without having to organize my own event.

My father-in-law’s office was holding an in office bake sale with all proceeds going to Red Nose Day. A lot of the people in his office know I bake and so he asked if I could make some cookies.

I choose the Sugar Saucer recipe from Outsider Tart’s Baked in America as they are big American sized cookies and they are delicious. I rolled the cookies in red hundreds and thousands before baking and when I ran out of those I used some left over heart sprinkles. I saved the few cookies with hearts for my daughters lunch box. Shhhhh don’t tell. ;0)

Red Nose Day is a worthy cause that helps countless people across the UK and people in Africa better their lives. Sometimes giving can be hard when one is trying to make ends meet, but little things like baking cookies for a bake sale or buying a red nose for kids helps too!

notes: to find out how you can get involved Red Nose Day Official site

Bipartisan Cake {apple crumb cake}

Hello. Last night I baked Bipartisan Cake (Apple Crumb Cake) from Baked in American by the David’s owners of Outsider Tart (London). Having already baked a several things from the book I won’t be sharing the recipe with you, but it’s yummy to look at!

I didn't just choose the Bipartisan Cake (pg 126) because of the apples (of course I did). I choose it because the David’s conceived the cake the week Barack Obama first took office 4 years ago. Obama has a thing for caramel apple cake apparently? It also evolved from an Alaskan recipe, where Sarah Palin is from. Hence why the cake is called Bipartisan (Bipartisanship involves trying to find common ground) Cake. Now that Obama has just had another victory I thought I’d make it and share it with friends, but unfortunately not with you…. unless you have the book. Sorry, I am mean like that. 

The cake is has a caramel apple filling mixed in a cinnamony cake batter, topped with lots of crumbs mixed with pecans (or walnuts your choice). I like this cake, it’s perfect with a cup of coffee or tea which ever your preference is! It also works as a dessert cake: top it with ice cream or cream (again depending on taste or culture preference), caramel drizzle or a simple glaze.

More from Baked in America:

Snickers Brownies (recipe)

Chocolate Snickerdoodles (recipe)

Sugar Saucers

Cinnamon Loaf

Golden Pumpkin Loaf

Boulder Bundt Cake

Blackout Cake (recipe)

My first look!

I met the Davids!

I visited theOutsider Tart market stall!

Outsider Tart

Are you convinced you need to own this book?? visit Amazon UK and Amazon USA

American History: Obama, Palin, bipartisan

Boulder Bundt Cake {Baked in America/Outsider Tart} #AugustBreak

Last August (August Break 2011) I bought a copy of Baked in America by the Davids [Outsider Tart]. This August I am showing you the Boulder Bundt Cake (pg 144) from said book.
If you are a coffee/toffee lover this is the cake for you! It's amazing. My bundt/tube pan wasn't big enough and it was overflowing and a tiny part of it at the top was under done, but it is amazing.
I love coffee flavored stuff and this has hit the spot! If you have the book then by default you own the recipe and if you have trouble finding coffee extract as I did, no worries, just make it yourself!!
I am sorry that I am not sharing the recipe with you, but I have already shared a few recipes from this book. I have my own rules of sharing recipes from books. I  really love this book, it's one of the few I have baked a lot from. It's an all around good book has a little bit of everything you would ever need!

For those of you in America you have your very own version coming out soon! You get a cool cover...the UK cover isn't as exciting and the cake on the cover isn't even in the book! A gripe of many Amazon reviewers! lol. It's also has a different title- Piece of Cake: Home Baking Made Simple. I think this cover is way better!! I thought it was a brand new book and almost pre-ordered it! I would buy it just for the cover; yes, I judge books by their covers. I try not too, but I love art and book covers are a form of art. :0)

help me win a copy of Leon: Baking and Pudding Book 3!!

I love baking books. Not that I needed to tell you that! 

Remember this amazing Blackout Cake I made last year for my husband's birthday? 

I've entered it in Leon's Proudest Baking Moment contest to win a signed copy of their Leon: Baking and Pudding Book 3! 
Would love to add it to my bookshelf! 

Help me win by voting for me! 

1. Follow the link: http://www.leonrestaurants.co.uk/cakes/
2. The cakes are listed in alphabetical order so head straight for the L's and vote for Lisa! 
3. Thank You!! 

I am sorry if you follow me on other social media like twitter (@unitedcakedom) and Facebook. 

Especially Facebook as I posted this information on my personal page and the United Cakedom Page! 

Dear Blog,

Happy 1^st Birthday!! 

Today dear blog you are a year old!! We’ve been through a lot!! Here are a baker's dozen of posts from the past year that we've shared together:

1. The first post: a tale of two whoopies

2. An attempt in creating Irn Bru Cupcakes

3. Where I admit I have a problem and where I make excuses for my problem! 

4. I went on bakery tours of London! One in the fall and spring! 

5. I made my husband this awesome birthday cake!! 

6. I met The David's from Outsider Tart! 

7. Really really yummy Chocolate Orange Brownies!! 

8. Name change! 

9. I like Big Bundts!! My button (pin)!! 

10. Doughnut Wars. 

11. My big hit on Pinterest Magic Marshmallow Puffs! 

12. Gingernuts with Custard Cream Filling!! 

13. Brioche, it was really good! 

There were so many yummy things made this past year! I can’t wait to look back on where this year will take us!! Love always Lisa! 

PS I forgot to mention we also joined Twitter! (@unitedcakedom) something I thought we'd never do! I think I am actually enjoying it! 

Book Signing with The David's from Outsider Tart!!

David, me, David

To Lisa- Remember there are no mistakes in baking only things you eat in private! Happy Baking David & David

I can't even tell you how excited (nervous) I was about getting my book signed!! We (my family and friend Lauren) got to Oxford around noon. We then had lunch in the covered market and finished with a Ben's Cookie*!! My husband a chocoholic had the Triple Chocolate Cookie, the girls had a chocolate chip cookie and I choose the peanut butter cookie! Yum!!

Then right at two we made our way to Waterstone's! The girls were happily reading books downstairs in the kids section when they made an announcement that the David's were ready and waiting!!

I waited my turn in line** and hoped my nerves didn't show. You'll soon discover how fruitless that was!! Lauren and my husband wanted me to tell them that I traveled all the way from America to meet them. I was like no that's silly but what I did come out with was "I came all the way from Reading!!" For those of you who don't know how far Reading is from Oxford...it's 30 minutes. Not very far.***There was a little more chit chat and then I was asked if the book was being made out to anyone. I replied with "yeah me" to which I had the response of "...and your name is..."^ Yeah, it's was one of those moments for me. Lauren, bless her, was holding in her laughter!! She was, of course, a good photographer^^  and she agreed that the whoopie pie on sample was very good! Mini Baker and Baby Baker thoroughly enjoyed a sugar cookie! Over all it was a very nice day out and I got my book signed!!

Not only do I think you should get their book, I also think you should visit them at their bakery!!

footnotes: 

*I added a photo of me at Ben's to my about me page! 

**The que.

***I wasn't nervous. I know it might be silly to be nervous. I know they are just people too. It's just that I do get nervous around people I admire and respect. I don't want to make a fool of myself! A bit late for that!! ;0]

^Have I told you I'm blond?

^^See above picture!

Golden Pumpkin Loaf!!

Golden Pumpkin Loaf from Baked in America by David Lesniak & David Muniz (Outsider Tart)

I started my Outsider Tart weekend by baking this pumpkin loaf from their book. It was very good. If I do say so myself! After reading an expat website* it informed me that Waitrose carry canned pumpkin! Knowing that there are several pumpkin recipes I want to try I grabbed 4 cans** to start with.

This is where my first can went with no regrets!! 

This loaf is full of cranberries and walnuts and is very moist. I like it with a thin layer of butter or you could have a layer of cream cheese on it. Once again I'm not sharing the recipe as my list of recipes from this book grows!! I can't urge you enough to go get it!! It's a great book!!

If you can't remember I made Snickers Brownies, Chocolate Snicker Doodles, Sugar Saucers, the Cinnamon Loaf, and last but not least the Blackout Cake! And now this of course!!

*Although if you google "canned pumpkin UK" it comes up with all sorts of links all saying that Waitrose carry canned pumpkin.

**One link about canned pumpkin said that Waitrose tend to run out! Another reason I bought 4!

American Baker in England presents Bakery Tour London 2011

What a busy weekend!! This weekend a friend and I went to London to indulge in it’s over abundance of bakeries!

Our first stop was Bea’s of Bloomsbury! There is some conflicting information that I should have checked on before we left, the website says that they open at 12 (true) however the facebook page says 11. We were running a little behind due to going the wrong direction down a road and got there at 1150. Which was probably perfect as they weren't open yet! The ladies inside looked a bit rushed, but were still friendly enough to seat and serve us. The actual location was perfect, it was exactly what I would expect a tea shop to look like!

There was so much to choose from. This is what I choose…

Vanilla Cheesecake

And this is what my friend chose…

praline chocolate layer cake

 They were both very good! The cheesecake was very creamy and a perfect vanilla flavor. If I ever get there again I will book an afternoon tea I think!

We both got some meringues to go!!

With that we were off to our next location Johnny’s Cupcake! It was a very cool shop with the t-shirts and merchandise in bakery window casings. I bought a t-shirt for my hubby and one for myself! Along with a few buttons! The t-shirts are wrapped up and put into a box that looks exactly like a cupcake carrier. So, much fun!! Staff were super friendly and helpful!

As we were making our way to The Hummingbird Bakery we spotted a Ben’s Cookie’s and had to stop! They are like the best commercially bought cookies ever!! I choose an Oatmeal and Raisin one! Which I ate for breakfast this morning! It was very yummy! 

At the Hummingbird Bakery I choose two cupcakes the special of the day Toffee Apple and the Black Bottom. We took them to go as we had more stops to make! I shared them with my little ones and the husband when I got home that night. The Toffee Apple is a part of the Carnival range, which has been running for several weeks now.

I wasn’t very impressed with this one. The actual cupcake seemed to be just a regular old vanilla cupcake with some apple flavoring in the icing decorated with a toffee covered apple slice. I guess I was expecting something more from the flavor of the day. However the Black Bottom was very moist and delicious!!

That one saved the day for the Hummingbird Bakery for me. I have had such success with their books and had high expectations that may or may not have been unrealistic.

Next was lunchtime at Ed’s Diner! I love a good American diner meal! Chili hotdog combo with fries, onion rings and coleslaw, but the best part was the peanut butter shake!! The first time I ever had a peanut butter shake was while visiting my aunt and uncle in San Francisco and it was amazing. The Ed’s Diner one was good, but not as good as the one I had over 10 years ago on the west coast! Of course sometimes memories are exaggerated or not as clear as I’d like them to be so maybe they were the same?

Even though we were stuffed I had one more place to visit. Outsider Tart from where we were I didn’t want to travel all the way to Chiswick (probably not that far really) but with the South Bank Royal Food Festival Hall so close we went there instead. The woman running the stall was very lovely and complimented us on our choices! I like a sales person who likes the product they sell!

I picked a Hepburn Brownie and a cranberry crumble cake. As we got them to go I had them today! The crumble cake I had with coffee late this afternoon and shared the brownie with my girls after lunch. Both were very good the brownie perfectly gooey and a hint of espresso flavor that is perfect mixed with chocolate.

crumble cake and hepburn brownie

 It was a very good day out and about in London! I have, what seems to be, an unending list of bakeries to visit and hope to go again in the spring! Are there any bakeries you’ve visited recently that you need to recommend or to warn against?

all the goodies I brought back

It is the start of National Chocolate Week tomorrow!! At the end of the week I’ll be posting pictures of chocolate goodies sent to me by readers! So, if you make anything with chocolate this week send me a picture! Email me at americanbakerinengland@gmail.com or upload it to the facebook page! I have a few things I’m thinking of making!! I am still working on a logo picture I hope to have something to show soon!