Crumb cake with figs and walnuts is a stand-out centerpiece for brunch. Moist and tender inside, see how to make crumb cake for your next celebration.
How to Make Crumb Cake
For the Fruit + Nut Layer
Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice California Figs pair so well with the other ingredients in the cake—cinnamon, walnuts and brown sugar. For more of a robust fig flavor, use Mission Figs, or if you want a more subtle fig flavor, opt for Golden Figs.
In a small bowl, mix figs, chopped toasted nuts (either walnuts or pecans), brown sugar and cinnamon.
For the Crumb Layer
Before you even start baking, start on the topping. You’ll combine the flour and sugars, then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork. Set this aside while you work on baking the cake.
Cake Baking Tips
Preheat the oven 30 minutes prior to baking. This allows the oven to come to heat and hold the heat.
Sour cream is the liquid used for the cake—it’s what makes for such a rich (and moist) inside crumb.
You’ll also use a springform pan. Typically used for baking cheesecake, a springform pan enables the edges of the cake to release easily from the pan—there’s no flipping the cake out!
When cakes are pulled from the oven, each baked good requires a different amount of time to stay in its hot pan. They continue baking and also set up in the pan. Removed too soon and their structure won’t be ready yet. For this Crumb Cake, it needs to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before having the sides of the springform pan removed.
Whisk dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Ready to Bake
Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until creamy. Gradually add in granulated sugar and beat until light and blended. On low speed, beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Alternately beat flour mixture and sour cream into batter.
Stir 1 cup of batter into the fig mixture.
Spoon the plain batter into bottom of the prepared springform pan. Spoon small mounds of fig batter on plain batter; carefully spread to even layer. Sprinkle crumb topping over top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on rack for 15 minutes. Remove side of pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into wedges.
Fig Cinnamon Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup butter at room temperature
Cake:
- 3/4 cup Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs stemmed, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted, chopped
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- To make crumb topping, combine flour and sugars in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until crumbly; reserve.
- To make cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 9-inch springform pan. In small bowl, mix figs, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer on medium to high speed until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until light and blended. On low speed, beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Alternately beat flour mixture and sour cream into batter. Stir 1 cup batter into fig mixture. Spoon plain batter in bottom of pan. Spoon small mounds of fig batter on plain batter; carefully spread to even layer. Sprinkle crumb topping over top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Remove side of pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into wedges.