How to Make Streuselkuchen: A German Crumb Cake Recipe
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Not only is Streuselkuchen a fun word to say, but it’s one of my favourite German treats! This crumb cake brings back so many wonderful memories for me. My mom, one of my aunts, or my Grandma would always bring it to all of our extended family gatherings – especially around Christmas time. This is a coffee cake with a sweet yeast dough base and a crispy, sweet crumb topping. It’s great as a brunch dish, or with coffee after supper. Let me show you how to make German Crumb Cake AKA Streuselkuchen!
The base of this cake is very similar to cinnamon bun dough, so what my mom often does is make a large batch of sweet yeast dough and make half of it into cinnamon buns and the other half into Streuselkuchen.
If you want to try the version of crumb cake that doesn’t have yeast in it, you can check out my Rhubarb Streuselkuchen recipe right here.
You could use your favourite sweet yeast dough recipe for this cake and then follow the directions for the crumb topping, or use the recipe for the dough below.
The dough also freezes well, so you can make a large batch and then freeze half for later. I also do this with pizza dough – simply put half into a plastic zipped bag, place it in the freezer, and then take it out several hours before you want to use it again so it has a chance to thaw and rise.
- Sweet Yeast Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
- 2 eggs
- 5 cups flour
- Crumb Topping
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cold, salted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to proof. If the mixture turns frothy, continue. If not, use a different batch of yeast.
- Add the sugar, butter and eggs and mix well.
- Mix in the flour a cup at a time. Once the dough it too thick to mix, use your hands to mix it and knead it.
- Let the dough rise for an hour.
- Once risen, spread the dough out into a large cookie sheet. Let the dough rise for another hour.
- To make the crumb mixture, combine 1 cup of flour with 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter, add the vanilla, and mix and press the mixture with your hands to create a crumb consistency.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture on the pan of dough.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the edges of the cake are golden brown.
We did not like this cake. It was entirely too dry and too fluffy. There was no dense mouth feel. It was like a bun but dryer and not sweet. I thought I had missed something, but no.
Sorry to hear that Scott
Then Scott you did not do the recipe correctly, but, on the other hand European coffee cakes are not usually very sweet. You are probably so used to commercially produced stuff which is laden with sugar. This is exactly as my German grandmother made it and we always gobbled it up.
This sounds exactly like my grandmothers Kuchen. I can’t find her recipe so will try! Thank you.
I agree with you German bakery is not loaded with sugars. I can’t wait to try this recipe. It sounds like the one my German grandmother, and mother use to make. Also try cutting the dough into small pieces like rolls and place some butter crumbs on top. Of wow thus has brought so much memories back to me.
add a layer of apples on top of the dough, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, double the sugar in the crumbs and mix some cinnamon into the crumble dough which goes on top of the apples, Once done baking, spread 2 cups of sour cream (or even better creme freche if you can get it) mixed with 2 ts cinnamon and a few teaspoons sugar over the piping hot cake and put another cookie sheet on top turned upside down of same size as the one you used. Let the cake sweat until cooled down. The crumbles will be soft and the whole cake amazing.
Sounds delicious!
I’ve made this twice now and it tastes just like my mom’s (who we lost on Christmas Eve 2016). Just the smell of it baking in the oven brings back wonderful memories. I do make 1-1/2 times the crumb topping – can’t have too many streusel. 🙂
Sorry to hear about you mom, Shirley. We feel touched that Christina’s recipe can bring you good memories this time of year. Merry Christmas!
I made this desert tonight for part of our winter Olympic games at my work. I’m on Team Germany and we have to make a recipe that is native to our country. So I made this. I found it delicious!! My only question is, I’m bringing it into work so should I refrigerate it? Thanks!!!
You shouldn’t need to.
Love this recipe for Streuselkuchen. Our family puts lemon zest in the crumbs and nutmeg and cinnamon in the dough! Delicious either way! We can’t have Christmas without Kuchen!
The lemon touch sounds delicious
What size is a “large” cookie sheet? Do you grease it?
Also, how long do you knead the dough for?
Thanks!
Hi
I have made this multiple times with great success. I have a recipe in German that is nearly identical to this that I’ve used for over 40 years. I like that this is written in English with cups so that my daughters can easily follow it. An added thing I do that was taught to me when I lived in Germany, was spread a thin layer of sour cream mixed with a few teaspoons of sugar on the top before putting on the streusel crumbs on. Then bake as directed. The crumbs stay on and it gives just another taste to enjoy. Sorry, I never measure the sour cream, I just eyeball it because it’s a very thin layer on top of the dough. We have found that it’s a friends and family favorite and make it often.
Oh that sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing. We will have to give that a try
i am excited to try this recipe. I have been trying to find the recipe my mom used, but I think, like many of my favorite treats she made, I think she learned it from watching my oma and committed the recipe to memory, because I can’t find a written one in her kitchen and she passed away 5 years ago, so I can’t ask her. I swear I remember the dough being more of a cake batter consistency, but I could be wrong because the picture certaintly looks the same, I guess I’m about to find out.
How long is it kneaded for? Is the idea to reach the same consistency as bread (window pane test)?
I also assume the yeast is dry active (vs fresh?)
Just wondering what size pan you put the batter in?
13 x 18 inches 🙂
Excellent recipe! Been looking for this for a long time.
– I found that 3 cups flour produces the tender crumb that I expect for an excellent coffee cake. 5 cups was far too dry for my taste.
– I found that 20 mins @ 375 was not long enough to get the color I wanted on the streusel, so I opted to make the streusel separately, brush apricot glaze on the finished kuchen and streu the cooked streusel on top.
– Next time I’ll try putting a roll of almond paste in the center and maybe some more apricot jam.
Possibilities are endless…
I found it really dry and hard to knead. I have it proofing in the cookie sheet now. Hope it turns out.
My 80 yr young German mom adds thinly sliced “flaumen”(dark plums) under the crumbs—yum!!