Jam Crumb Cake

When I moved into my new office two weeks ago there was a lot of sorting to be done. Things to toss, file away, display on bookshelves, study and devour. Once I tossed what needed to go I sat and marveled at the treasure I found tucked away in the magazine racks of my new digs.

Gourmet magazines. Lots of them, dating back over 10 years, sitting in my office, and for the last two weeks I have been curled up at night in my bed, bookmarking recipes I plan to make. This simple, sweet, understated jam cake is the first of many Gourmet creations to come.

If you've been reading Espresso and Cream for any extended period of time, you probably know my fascination and love for simple cakes. This is yet another example. There are no fussy, hard-to-find ingredients, or complicated procedures. In fact, you don't even need a mixer. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for those kind of cakes, but that time and place is not Monday night. On a weeknight, make this cake and forget the notion that cakes are anything but easy and delicious.

From Gourmet, December 2007
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
Cake:
*1 cup all-purpose flour
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
*1/2 cup milk
*1 large egg
*1/2 cup raspberry jam or preserves

Crumb Topping:

*3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

*1/4 cup packed brown sugar

*1/4 cup granulated sugar

*3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

*1/8 teaspoon salt

*1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

*Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 9-inch square or round cake pan.

*Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

*Whisk together butter, milk, and egg in a large bowl, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined. *Pour batter into cake pan. Dollop jam all over surface, then swirl into batter with spoon. 

Make Crumb Topping:

*Whisk together butter, sugars, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Stir in flour, then blend with your fingertips until incorporated. Sprinkle crumbs in large clumps over top of cake.

*Bake cake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides begin to pull away from pan, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes.

Happy Baking!

Madison