If you’re a fan of New York crumb cake, you’re going to absolutely love this Nutella Crumb Cake recipe! With big, big sugar-dusted crumbs on top and a layer of creamy Nutella running through the center of the cake, this crumb cake recipe is going to be the one you keep making for years and years.
We’re a cake family.
I’ve been known to make chocolate cakes at 9pm just because we wanted cake. And our holiday mornings almost always include some type of coffee cake.
I grew up in the suburbs of NYC on a diet of Entemann’s – IYKYK – and when the Ultimate Crumb Cake blasted onto the scene in the ‘90s, Long Island basically tipped on its side over this cake.
It was a staple in my house. In my extended families’ houses. In my friends’ houses. At football parties, birthday parties, and those “I just stopped by to say hello” visits we were all familiar with back then.
So when I came across a recipe for homemade crumb cake in 2011, purported to be just like the Entemann’s version, I made it.
And I never looked back. And with over 525 4.5+ ⭐️ ratings, so many other people have fallen for this cake too!
Nutella Sour Cream Crumb Cake
This Nutella cake is the newest version of the classic New York Crumb Cake we’ve loved for years and years. And yes, the new version goes just as good with a cup of hot coffee or a hot latte as the classic version does!
It’s a slightly updated version, which I made with sour cream in place of buttermilk.
I swapped out the buttermilk because I didn’t have any in the fridge when I wanted to make the cake. And truthfully, this made a big difference in the flavor and structure of the cake.
The sour cream definitely gives this crumb cake the tang of what you find in a sour cream coffee cake, except that you have the big crumbs instead of a sandy streusel topping. It’s just so so good!
Next to the crumb topping, the Nutella is the true star of this cake! The chocolate-hazelnut spread gives the cake a boost of sweetness that I didn’t even realize it was missing.
Every single bite has some Nutella in it and it’s such an awesome addition to an already amazing crumb cake!
Ingredients
Here’s the basic grocery list for this Nutella crumb cake recipe. Be sure to keep scrolling down to the recipe for the full Ingredients list and full printable recipe!
For the crumb topping:
- Sugar: White sugar and dark brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Table salt
- Unsalted melted butter
- Cake flour
For the cake:
- Full-fat sour cream
- Milk
- Cake flour
- White sugar
- Baking soda
- Table salt
- Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Nutella (or another chocolate-hazelnut spread)
- Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make Nutella Crumb Cake
Here are the basic steps to make this crumb cake recipe. Be sure to keep scrolling down to the recipe for the full Ingredients list and full printable recipe!
STEP 1: Whisk the crumb topping ingredients together in a medium bowl and then set it aside to cool while you make the cake batter.
STEP 2: Preheat oven. Grease and line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
STEP 3: Measure and whisk the sour cream and a little milk ingredients together in a glass measuring cup. In the bowl of a stand mixer (with the paddle attachment on), combine the dry ingredients. With the mixer running, gradually add the butter in small pieces. Beat until the mixture resembles moist, sandy crumbs with no butter visible.
Add all of the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Don’t forget to scrape the bowl to ensure everything is well-mixed! It will be a thick batter.
STEP 4: Spread some of the cake batter in the prepared pan with an offset spatula, followed by a layer of the creamy Nutella, and then the remaining batter.
STEP 5: Distribute the crumb topping in an even layer over the top of the batter. It will be a THICK layer of crumb topping. Don’t be tempted to press the crumbs into the top layer of batter – it will cause the crumbs to sink. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be sure to read the instructions for this step in the recipe card below carefully.
STEP 6: Bake the cake until the crumbs are golden brown and a cake tester comes out with just a few tiny crumbs clinging to the bottom of it. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack before dusting the top with confectioners’ sugar.
Cut the crumb cake into 9 big pieces, 12 medium-size, or 16 small pieces and serve with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee (not required but highly recommended).
How to Store this Crumb Cake
If there are leftovers – and there may not be! – store them in an airtight container or directly in the cake pan covered tightly with plastic wrap.
Stored this way, leftovers will stay tasting great for up to three days.
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Coffee Cake vs Crumb Cake
Coffee cake and crumb cake are often mixed up and for good reason. They are both considered a snack cake made with similar ingredients.
One of the subtle differences is that crumb cake is usually made in a square cake pan (or a rectangular one for larger cakes). And a homemade coffee cake recipe is often made in a bundt pan or a tube pan.
The major difference between the two types of cakes, however, is that crumb cake has big, fat crumbs dusted in confectioners’ sugar.
Coffee cake has a softer and more tender topping, usually heavier on the cinnamon than a crumb cake topping. And the coffee cake topping is most often drizzled with a glaze.
What Kind of Sour Cream to Use?
For this recipe and virtually all recipes I make with sour cream, like my favorite cheesecake and these Pumpkin Sour Cream Crumb Bars, I use full-fat sour cream. Compared with low-fat and fat-free sour cream, full-fat sour cream has the best flavor, which comes through the best in cakes.
Love Cake Like We Do? Try these Bundt Cake Recipes!
- Chocolate Cannoli Bundt Cake
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More Breakfast Cake Recipes That You’ll Absolutely Love
- Classic New York Crumb Cake
- Blueberry Crumb Cake
- Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake
- Lemon Buttermilk Loaf Cake
- Cinnamon Streusel Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Nutella Sour Cream Crumb Cake
Nutella Sour Cream Crumb Cake is the crumb cake recipe you've always been looking for. With creamy Nutella running through the center of the cake and big, big crumbs on top, you'll never ever go back to store-bought crumb cake again!
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (61 g) packed dark brown sugar
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp table salt
- 8 tbsp (4 oz or 113 g) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
- 1 ¾ cups (200 g) cake flour
For the cake batter:
- Scant ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 ¼ cups (145 g) cake flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp table salt
- 6 tbsp (3 oz or 85 g) unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces, softened but still cool
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (173 g) Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- To make the crumb topping: Whisk sugars, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a medium bowl to combine. Add flour and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough; set aside to cool to room temperature, 15 minutes.
- To make the cake batter: Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 325° F. Cut an 18-inch length of parchment paper and fold lengthwise to 7-inch width. Spray an 8-inch square metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into the dish, pushing it into corners and up sides; allow excess to overhang edges of the dish to make a sling.
- Whisk the sour cream and milk together in a 1-cup glass measuring cup. You’ll need ⅓ cup total once the two are combined. If you’re a little short, add a little more milk or sour cream to increase to ⅓ cup. The mixture should be pourable but not super thin.
- In a bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt on low speed to combine. With the mixer running at low speed, add the butter one piece at a time and continue beating for 2 minutes until the mixture resembles moist, sandy crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and sour cream mixture; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping once if necessary. DO NOT OVERBEAT. Overbeating the batter will cause the crumbs to sink when baking.
- To assemble the cake: Transfer two-thirds of the batter to the baking pan and using rubber spatula, spread batter into an even layer. Using an offset spatula, spread the Nutella in a mostly even layer over the cake batter. It’s ok if it doesn’t fully cover the batter out to the edges. Gently spread the remainder of the cake batter over the top of the Nutella layer. Try not to swirl the top layer of cake batter into the Nutella.
- Squeeze some of the crumb topping gently in your palm to form a chunk of topping. Break the chunk apart into large pea-sized pieces between your thumb, pointer, and middle fingers and spread in an even layer over the batter. IMPORTANT: Start by adding the crumbs around the edges of the pan and then work towards the center. DO NOT press the crumbs into the cake batter.
- Bake for 43 to 46 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and a wooden skewer inserted into center of the cake comes out with just a couple of crumbs clinging to the bottom of the skewer. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving. Remove cake from pan by lifting the parchment sling. Cut into 9, 12, or 16 pieces and serve.
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Will it make that much difference if cake flour isn’t utilized in this recipe?
Thanks,
Linda
Hi Linda, Yes, it will be a difference. The cake flour is intended to keep the cake extra soft. You can use all-purpose flour but the texture won’t be the same. You can also make your own cake flour with all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Google the instructions. I’ve made this swap several times when I’ve been out of cake flour.
Some tips for getting Nutella to spread evenly should you microwave it first
Great tip!