Crumb Cake

CAKE:
½ lb. butter, at room temperature
1⅓  cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk, at room temperature

CRUMB TOPPING:
½ lb. butter
1½ cups sugar
2 ½ cups flour
2 tsp.baking powder
5 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

CAKE: In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer.  Add eggs and vanilla and combine. Beat in half of the flour mixture to creamed mixture to blend well. Beat in milk, then remaining flour mixture until just combined.

Spread mixture into a greased 13” x 18” x 1” cookie sheet.

CRUMB TOPPING: Melt and cool butter.  Meanwhile mix dry ingredients; then add cooled butter and vanilla.  Stir with a fork until the mixture comes together to form small crumbs (if you clump it in your hand it should easily form crumbs).  Add additional sugar, if necessary. Break up the crumb mixture if you prefer less crumbs.  For large crumbs, clump portions of the mixture tightly in your hand  to the desired size before placing them on top of the cake batter. Cover the batter completely with crumbs.

Bake 30 minutes at 375.  When cool, sift with confectioners sugar.

One-Bowl Brownies

Yes, brownies from a mix are easier than from scratch. But why use a mix when you can make tastier brownies with not that much extra effort?

4 squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
¾ cup (1½ sticks) margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for glass baking dish).
Microwave chocolate and margarine in large microwavable bowl on high 2 minutes or until margarine is melted.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir sugar into chocolate until well blended.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour and nuts until well blended.  Spread in greased foil-lined 13 by 9 inch baking pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs.  DO NOT OVERBAKE.  Cool in pan. Cut into squares.

Variations:

Cakelike Brownies:  Stir in ½ cup milk with eggs and vanilla.  Increase flour to
 1 ½ cups.

Cream Cheese Brownies:  Prepare brownies as directed using 4 eggs.  Spread in pan.  Beat 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg and 2 tbsp. flour.  Spoon mixture over brownie batter.  Swirl with knife to marbleize.  Bake 40 minutes.

Rocky Road Brownies:  Prepare brownies as directed.  Bake 30 minutes.  Immediately sprinkle 2 cups miniature marshmallows, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and I cup chopped nuts over brownies.  Bake 3 minutes or until topping begins to melt together.

Peanut Butter Swirl:  Prepare brownies as directed, reserving 1 tbsp. of the margarine and 2 tbsp. of the sugar.  Spread in prepared pan.  Mix reserved ingredients and 2/3 cup peanut butter.  Spoon mixture over brownie matter.  Swirl with knife to marbleize.  Bake as directed.

Raspberry Brownies: Prepare brownies as directed. Pour ⅓ cup of raspberry jam  into a small bowl and stir vigorously to loosen. Drizzle jam evenly over batter and swirl in lightly with a spoon.  Bake until 30 to 35 minutes.