Why is it important for the butter and cream cheese to be at room temperature for this recipe?

Using room temperature butter and cream cheese ensures they cream together smoothly and evenly with sugar, incorporating air for a light cake texture and a lump-free, fluffy frosting. Cold ingredients will result in a tough cake and a lumpy, inconsistent frosting for your vanilla honey crumb cake cream cheese frosting recipe.

Can I substitute another sweetener for honey in the crumb topping?

While honey adds a unique flavor and helps with the texture of the crumb in this vanilla honey crumb cake cream cheese frosting recipe, you could substitute it with an equal amount of maple syrup for a different flavor profile, or increase the brown sugar slightly if you prefer to omit honey entirely. However, the original recipe's honey flavor is highly recommended!

How do I prevent my crumb topping from sinking into the cake batter?

The key to a perfect crumb topping that stays on top for your vanilla honey crumb cake cream cheese frosting recipe is ensuring your batter is thick enough to support it and that the crumb mixture isn't too wet or too fine. Making sure your butter is melted and correctly proportioned, and not overmixing the crumb (you want distinct pieces) will help it bake beautifully on the surface.

Vanilla Honey Crumb Cake Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

Name: Vanilla Honey Crumb Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted; 2 tablespoons honey; 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened; 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup whole milk, room temperature; 8 ounces (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened; 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream (optional, for consistency)

Ingredients

Scale

For the Crumb Topping:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
For the Vanilla Cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3–4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1–2 tablespoons milk or cream (optional, for consistency)

Instructions

Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt for the crumb topping. Whisk until well combined.
Step 2: Add the melted unsalted butter and honey to the dry ingredients. Use a fork or your fingertips to mix until large, moist crumbs form. Set aside.
Step 3: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper for the cake.
Step 4: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).
Step 5: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 6: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt for the cake batter.
Step 7: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Step 8: Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the prepared crumb topping generously over the batter.
Step 9: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The crumb topping should be golden brown.
Step 10: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
Step 11: For the frosting, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 12: Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Step 13: Beat in the vanilla extract until just combined. If the frosting seems too thick, add milk or cream one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Step 14: Once the cake is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

Ensure all dairy ingredients (butter, eggs, milk, cream cheese) are at room temperature for optimal mixing and cake texture. Do not overmix the cake batter; mix just until combined to keep the cake tender.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12th of cake)
Calories: 480 kcal
Sugar: 45g
Sodium: 220mg
Fat: 23g
Saturated Fat: 14g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 65g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 6g
Cholesterol: 85mg

Keywords: vanilla crumb cake, honey crumb cake, cream cheese frosting, coffee cake recipe, dessert recipe, baking, homemade cake, brunch recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

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