The Best Crumb Cake of All Time

If you’re ever wondering how to do very well in high school without carrying any books ever, this crumb cake is the answer. Well, this and chocolate chip cookies.

This recipe comes together in under an hour, doesn’t require any fancy tools or equipment, and is perfect for a weekend breakfast when you’re craving something sweet and only have a few ingredients around.

This is straight up Martha Stewart’s recipe, I haven’t changed one single thing because not one single thing needs changing. However- I have made this in many different ovens and sometimes it bakes for 20 minutes and it’s done and sometimes it needs 30 minutes, so just keep an eye on it after 20 and poke it with a toothpick every so often until comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached.

Take note that while this cake is DELICIOUS straight out of the oven, it’s most authentically eaten at room temperature, when the crumbs have had a chance to cool and congeal. This is one of the only times that we’re happy about things congealing and not grossed out by it. Once this cake is cool, the crumbs will have that beautiful melt-in-your-mouth texture. This cake keeps really well for up to a week stored in an airtight container!

Perfect Crumb Cake
Recipe from Martha

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 c milk
2 TBSP canola/veg oil
2 tsp vanilla

1 c light brown sugar
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 c confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 325.

Grease and flour a 9x13” cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 c flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined. Spread into the 9x13” pan and set aside.

In the bowl you used the dry ingredients for, stir together the light brown sugar, remaining flour and cinnamon. Stir in the butter until combined and using your hands, break crumbs of the mixture off and cover the entire cake with crumbs. Bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the cake has cooled slightly, dust the top with confectioners sugar.

xo,
Audrey

Ballin' on a Budget: Feelings Pudding

What do you do when you’re overwhelmed with emotion? Aside from crying, I mean. What do you do with your body?

Do you go for a run (lol)? Turn on really loud music and dance? Fall into a netflix hole?

I make pudding.

There’s something so meditative to me about stirring a milk and eggs over a low flame until it turns into a luscious creamy chocolate pudding.

I’ve made this when I’m falling in love, when I’m heartbroken, when I’m scared, when I’m excited- really anytime I have extra feelings in my body that I’m not quite sure what to do with. I just stir them into pudding.

The other amazing thing about this recipe is that it can be made pretty much anywhere- it requires so little equipment and so few ingredients which makes it a perfect recipe for you to make as a houseguest- I love leaving these behind when I stay with friends! The vessel you put it in doesn’t matter so much, this recipe is pretty forgiving and can be made in a pot, a pan, a tart shell, a 9x13” pan or a cauldron.

It’s dairy free, costs about $8 to make and comes together in about fifteen minutes of active prepwork plus about 45 minutes of chilling time in the fridge. This can be made a few days ahead of serving and kept covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

THE ONLY RULE WITH FEELINGS PUDDING: You MUST eat this straight out of the container. The only way you can serve it is by handing people spoons. If you are not comfortable eating this straight out of the container with the people you are serving it to, they are not close enough to you to eat feelings pudding with.

Feelings Pudding
(makes enough)

20 vanilla oreos
2 TBSP coconut oil

1 can full fat coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 12oz bag bittersweet chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)

flaky salt

Crush the oreos. I did this in a large ziplock with a rolling pin but you can use a food processor- you just want them to be in fine crumbs. Combine the oreo crumbs with the coconut oil and press into your pan. I used a 9” pie dish, but this will really work in any shape pan- a bread pan, an 8x8” pan, a small pot- whatever you’ve got! Place the crust in the freezer to set up while you make the custard.

In a saucepan over a low flame, combine the whole can of coconut milk and egg yolks. Whisk, constantly, until the mixture coats the bottom of a spoon (this means that when you dip the spoon in and run your finger through it, the custard holds its place and doesn’t fill in where you’ve run your finger through). Remove from heat and pour the chocolate chips in. Cover them completely with the liquid and let them sit for a minute to soften, then whisk until he mixture is smooth and shiny.

Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve and then into the crust, which should be fairly set by now. Put the feelings pudding back in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the fridge for 45 minutes-1 hour until it doesn’t wiggle when you move the dish. Top with flaky sea salt, give everybody a spoon and have some feelings about it.

xo
Audrey