Looks Delic
Sheet Pan Crumb Cake is a nostalgic, classic dessert that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Have it for breakfast or after dinner and pair it with a not too sweet coffee and you will be hard pressed to not keeping going back for another bite.
Crumb cake is a soft, moist cake base topped with a layer of crumbly streusel topping made from flour, sugar, and butter. This easy crumb cake recipe layers the cake batter and topping at the same time and then gets baked only once leaving you with the perfect sweet treat in under an hour.
The combination of the moist cake and crunchy topping are not only delicious but also create a satisfying texture and taste.
This Sheet Pan Crumb Cake recipe is truly a crumb cake to feed a crowd, baked in a half sheet pan that is 12″ x 18″ x 2″, so I hope you’ve got friends to share it with.
About the Ingredients
Dry cake batter ingredients – all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Butter – between the cake and the crumb topping you need a lot! 1 pound = 4 sticks.
Milk – 1 cup of whole or low fat milk.
Eggs – 2 eggs
Vanilla – divided between the cake batter and crumb topping.
Dry crumb topping ingredients – white sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and baking powder.
How to Make Sheet Pan Crumb Cake
Make the Crumb Cake Batter
Begin by making the cake batter. The first step is cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. To do this simply add them to a mixing bowl and using an electric hand mixer on medium high speed beat the mixture until it’s light and fluffy. This will take about 4 minutes.
Now add the dry ingredients and mix. Then finally add the milk and give it one last mix. Your batter is now complete.
Pour the batter into a sheet pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray and set it aside while you make the crumb topping.
How to Make Crumb Topping
To make the crumb topping, combine all of the remaining dry ingredients in a bowl. Pour the melted butter and vanilla in and mix it with a fork until it forms a medium size crumble. Keep in mind that you don’t want your crumble to be too fine, leave some big chunks in there.
Using your hands, spread the crumb topping over the cake batter. It will feel like there is a lot of crumb topping because there is. Remember a crumb cake is 50% crumbs so be generous and use the whole thing.
Bake your sheet pan crumb cake at 350°F for 35 minutes then let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations
This easy crumb cake recipe is quick to prepare as written but if you have a few extra minutes try adding a flavor swirl to the cake. Make a quick cinnamon or chocolate glaze in a small mixing bowl.
After pouring the crumb cake batter into the sheet pan, drizzle the glaze on top. Then trace the line of the drizzled glaze with a butter knife. This will press the glaze down into the cake rather than just leaving it on the surface. Then continue with the recipe by making the crumb topping and placing in on top of the batter and bake it as instructed.
To add a cinnamon swirl to your crumb cake, mix:
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
To add a chocolate swirl to your crumb cake, melt together:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Make Ahead Instructions
Sheet pan crumb cake stays fresh at room temperature for about one week when left uncut, in the sheet pan it was baked in. The crumb topping and pan help protect the cake portion, keeping it fresher longer.
Simply leave the crumb cake in the pan and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Cut it as you serve it.
How to Freeze Sheet Pan Crumb Cake
This crumb cake recipe freezes beautifully once cooked. Cut individual portions of the cake and wrap them in plastic wrap. Then place the wrapped servings in a plastic container or bag and freeze for up to 8 weeks.
To defrost crumb cake simply remove the desired number of portions from the freezer and leave the cake at room temperature. It should be defrosted in about 1 hour and ready to enjoy.
FAQ’s and Recipe Tips
Coffee cake is usually a fluffy cake with a crumb and glaze topping while crumb cake is much heavier on the crumbs – typically a 50/50 crumb/cake ratio.
This cake is half cake and half crumb topping so it has a little less batter than a cake that is all cake. This crumb cake bakes at 350°F for 35 minutes.
A baking sheet is flat without any side walls. A sheet pan, also known as a jelly roll pan, is a baking pan with rimmed edges so it can be filled with things such as batter. To make crumb cake you will need a sheet pan.
A full sheet is 18x26x2. Most non-commercial use recipes are written for half sheet pans which are 12x18x2 or a similar size.
The Recipe for Sheet Pan Crumb Cake
The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing. If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought. Enjoy!
Sheet Pan Crumb Cake
Equipment
- 1 electric hand mixer
- 1 half sheet pan 12"x18"x2" or similar
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
For the crumb topping:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 2¼ cups flour
- 4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup butter melted
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. About 4 minutes.1 cup butter, 1 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 eggs
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix.3 cups flour, 4 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt
- Pour in the milk and mix well.1 cup milk
- Pour the batter into a half sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray and set it aside.
- In a clean mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the crumb topping.1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 2¼ cups flour, 4 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp baking powder
- Add the melted butter and vanilla. Stir with a fork until a medium size crumble forms.1 cup butter, 2 tsp vanilla
- Using your hands, sprinkle the crumb topping onto the cake evenly. Use all of the crumbs even though it may seem like a lot.
- Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely in the pan.
Notes
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Really Delicious!! Gonna try this week. Thanks for sharing.
Terrific! Let me know how it goes!
my youngest son loves all things coffee-cake style and would flip for this! I think I’ll give it a try this coming weekend. Thanks!
My daughter is the same way… she was in heaven when I made it the other day.
Thank you! It will be such a treat
Omg- saving for later. This looks amazing!