This Sugar Cookie Crumb Cake is made with sugar cookie milk and topped with a generous amount of sugar crumb topping all topped with a sugar cookie glaze.
Read this blog enough and you know that I am a sugar cookie lover.
LOVER.
Some may find it boring but I absolutely adore them.
And yes, I would take them over a chocolate chip cookie.
So when I saw that Target had Sugar Cookie Milk I was all over it.
I’m quite sure the lady at the check out stand thought I was crazy buying up a bunch of it but it sells out fast.
How fast?
The next day they were out and I never saw it again.
So I don’t feel so crazy buying it all up.
The first time I made this Sugar Cookie Crumb Cake it was with the sugar cookie milk.
I wanted to refine it a little more and while making it I realized I probably should not be making it with the sugar cookie milk.
Why you ask?
Because if they are already sold out of it at my Target it probably is at your Target.
Or you might not even have a Target.
So then I had to figure out how to make my own sugar cookie milk.
Which the sugar and the milk part were easy. 😛
It was getting the sugar cookie flavor right.
Enter Buttery Sweet Dough Emulsion Extract.
Years ago the extract was recommended to me by a reader when I was looking for homemade funfetti to taste more like box funfetti.
While I love vanilla cake with sprinkles it is not funfetti.
Doesn’t have that certain taste.
I used to only buy the small bottle of it but now I buy the giant one because I add it to a lot of my baked goods.
It’s also what made sugar milk turn into sugar cookie milk.
BTW- totally off subject but if you can get the sugar cookie milk it is awesome to make hot chocolate with. 🙂
The crumb cakes are baked in the pans that are lined with sugar.
You can skip that if you want but in the words of Elle Woods “I think it gives it a little something, don’t you think?
I do, Elle, I do.
These are mini loaves.
It’s holiday time.
More now than ever you should be sharing the baked goods love.
Can you make it in one large loaf?
Sure, but I never have and you would definitely have to bake it way longer than the 30-35 minutes.
Plus the smaller loaves allow for the crumb topping to not sink into the cake.
Do you best to make the crumbs the same size.
Smaller ones work best.
It’s also best to have more crumb around the edge of the pan to help prevent sinking of the crumb.
Also…do you need the sprinkles?
Technically no.
But I think we all need sprinkles in our lives.
And since everyone always asks what pans I use and I use Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pans.
It’s a great day to order my cookbook.
Want more Sugar Cookie recipes?
Sprinkle Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Bars
Shortbread Roll Out Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookie Crumb Cake
Ingredients
- Crumb Topping:
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 8 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and then slightly cooled
- 1 ¾ cup cake flour
- Cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. sweet dough emulsion extract
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- Sugar to coat pans with
- Icing:
- 6 TBSP milk
- 1 tsp. sweet dough emulsion extract
- 2 TBSP melted butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- sprinkles if desired
Instructions
- For the Crumb Topping:
- In a medium sized bowl, sugar, and salt, and stir until combined.
- Add the melted butter and then cake flour and mix (hands work best for this). Set aside.
- For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Spray baking spray 4 mini loaf pans and sprinkle sugar in each one. Coat both the sides and bottom of each pan with sugar. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl add the milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, sweet dough emulsion extract, and eggs and whisk until fully combined.
- In another bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients, then wet, then dry, then wet, and finish with dry.
- Mix on low until fully combined. Be careful to not over-mix.
- Using a regular size ice cream scoop evenly distribute the batter among the four pans.
- Evenly divide crumb topping (as evenly as you can) into pieces over top of the batter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes depending on your oven.
- Check by using a wooden skewer or knife to see if it comes out clean.
- Let cool on wire rack.
- While cooling make glaze.
- For the Glaze:
- Simply whisk together the milk, sweet dough emulsion extract, butter, and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
- When cakes are cool pour glaze over the top of them.
- Top with sprinkles if desired.
- Let glaze firm up.
DanaC says
I am definitely with you on picking a sugar cookie to a chocolate chip, but I don’t really care for chocolate. This recipe looks like it will be perfect for handing out to neighbors for Christmas. I will have to track down that extract 😉
Peabody says
You can find the extract on Amazon (the link is in the post) or you can often find it at places like Michaels in the cake section.
Jennifer says
How many mini cakes does this recipe make? The recipe shows 4, but is that accurate? Thank you, I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Peabody says
It makes 4
Anne says
Would this work if I used a holiday shaped pan and would need to put the crumbs on the bottom of the pan (so when it is flipped over they are on top)?
Peabody says
I am not sure how that would work at all. I’ve never put crumbs at the bottom of a crumb cake before.
Deborah Houston says
This sounds great! I would prefer to make in regular size loaf pans. Any idea how long I would bake it?
Peabody says
You would need another 20 minutes most likely.
Myra says
Could you possibly use butter flavored extract in place of the emulsion? Also, does the glaze harden enough on the loaf, so that the loaf can be wrapped without it causing too much moisture and mush up the crumb?
Peabody says
It won’t have the sugar cookie flavor if you just use butter extract but it will still taste good. The glaze does harden enough.
Joann says
The emulsion is heavenly for baked goods. I have been using for years and it is well worth it!
Peabody says
Yes, I love it.
Sue says
Thank you for this recipe. I’m always looking for something new to make each year. OK, let’s just say I can find Sugar Cookie Milk this year, would you simply sub it for the 1 cup of whole milk and leave the vanilla and sweet dough emulsion extract out in both the cake and icing? I know this may be an obvious answer but just want to hear it from you 🙂
Peabody says
Yes, sub with that.
Cecilia Hoehn says
I have made this recipe 2 times, and both times, batter is bubbling over the sides of my mini loaf pan. I divided the dough like it says, i greased and sugared my pan. I put the crumble on top. I am not what I am doing to make it bubble.
Peabody says
If it’s bubbling I suggest less batter. And I would make sure that your mixture is fully creamed. You are either having sugar pockets escape or butter that is not creamed.
Tonya says
I just made these and mine bubbled over as well. I think there was too much batter and I def had a lot of crumb topping leftover as well.
Heather says
These look delicious! These would be great to deliver to neighbors!
tanya says
I am so excited to try these! I am a sugar cookie fan as well!
Krista says
I work at LorAnn (we make the emulsion) I’m definitely going to make these for my family! Really awesome recipe and thanks for spreading love for our products 👍
Peabody says
OMG! That’s so cool. I love their emulsions! I use this one especially all the time.
Jennifer says
Hello! Can you sub the cake flour for all purpose flour?
Peabody says
You can but it won’t have the same texture.
Alaina Perry says
I made this last night and followed directions as stated BUT my crumbs all sunk in to the cakes. What on earth did I do wrong?
Peabody says
They could have been a little too big of crumbs and piled them in the center a little too much.
Cheryl says
Don’t have a stand mixer … can I just combine with a spatula? Will it affect the texture?
Peabody says
You cannot mix it with a spatula. Either a stand mixer or electric beaters is what you need.
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a great treat to make and give during the holidays
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make them?
Peabody says
They’ve never lasted more than a few days around here.
Bev says
Made these for the first time tonight. They are deliciously yummy! Hubby ate almost an entire little cake in one sitting. I’ll have to hide the others lol. The only difficulty I had was in getting them out of the pan. Next time I’ll be sure to use parchment paper on the bottom. Thanks for a great recipe. It will be a holiday tradition going forward!
Peabody says
So glad you enjoyed them. And it seriously makes me so happy to hear they will be a holiday tradition!
Minette S. says
I made these yesterday to give out for Christmas. I was able to fill 8 mini loaves and wow did they puff up! My taste tester said it was really good so off to the neighbors I will go! Even though I hate baking, I think I would make these again.
Peabody says
Glad to hear the taste tester liked them! Hope your neighbors do too!