Spiced Rose Crumb Cake

I really like to take pleasure in the small things in life. Yesterday it was 80 and sunny here, so I enjoyed a 2 mile walk. I hadn’t taken a long walk in the warm sunshine in forever and it was blissful. When Marc get homes from work on a Friday, we like to take 15 minutes or so to just stand at our kitchen island and enjoy some wine and cheese while we chat. It’s like our own personal happy hour and I love it. In the mid-afternoon, there is nothing I love more than enjoying some kind of baked good with a cup of tea and some quiet. I don’t do it often since that would be bad for my waistline but it is glorious when I indulge. It was an indulgence I really needed this week, so I whipped up the most incredible spiced rose crumb cake.

The crumb topping was simple to make and packed with warm flavors inspired by my Lebanese heritage. I used rose water and mahlab, both of which are so Middle Eastern and evocative of my Nana Jeanie. Mahlab can be tricky to find in grocery stores but it is in spice shops. I also found it easily online!
Then I echoed those same flavors when I made the easy batter for the spiced rose crumb cake. All I had to do was whisk my wet ingredients into my dry ingredients and it was done.
Finally, I just poured the batter into my 8 x 8 pan and sprinkled that gorgeous crumb mixture on top. The cake baked for about 45 minutes to get perfectly baked through. I used the reliable old toothpick test to make sure the very center was cooked.

Once it cooled, I cut the cake into 8 equal squares and enjoy a piece with a yummy cup of chai tea. Oh my goodness, the rose flavor was there but the spices cut through to keep it from tasting like soap. The crunchy crumb topping was the perfect texture compliment to the soft cake crumb. I loved how versatile this spiced rose crumb cake was too. I ate it for breakfast, an afternoon snack and dessert over the course of the week. It kept for days all sealed up! Hope you all love it too. xoxo

Spiced Rose Crumb Cake
Spiced Rose Crumb Cake
5 from 6 votes
Spiced Rose Crumb Cake
Spiced Rose Crumb Cake
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

This is such a gorgeous and simple spiced rose crumb cake with an airy, fluffy cake and sensational pecan crumb topping! Perfect for breakfast, dessert or tea time. 

Course: Dessert
Keyword: Crumb Cake, Rose
Servings: 8
Calories: 376 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mahlab
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon rose water
  • 1/2 stick butter melted
FOR THE CAKE
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mahlab
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 stick butter melted
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon rose water
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 and spray an 8 x 8 baking pan well with cooking spray. Then make the crumb topping first. Simply stir the flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, mahlab, cardamom, rose water and melted butter together thoroughly until it is a moist, pebbly crumb texture. Make the easy cake batter next. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, mahlab, cardamom, baking soda, and salt together in a large whisking bowl. Whisk the milk, melted butter, eggs and rose water together in another bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk it all together thoroughly until smooth.

  2. Pour that batter into the prepared pan and make sure it is even. Then evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture on top in a layer. Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, until the outside is golden and the interior is baked through. The middle will puff up a lot and that is normal. Use a toothpick and see if it comes out cleanly from the center to make sure it is perfect. Let it cool for at least half an hour, then cut it into 8 equal pieces. Serve with great coffee or tea and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Spiced Rose Crumb Cake
Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
Calories 376 Calories from Fat 188
% Daily Value*
Fat 20.9g32%
Saturated Fat 12.1g76%
Cholesterol 91mg30%
Sodium 116mg5%
Potassium 302mg9%
Carbohydrates 44.7g15%
Fiber 0.7g3%
Sugar 36.5g41%
Protein 4.7g9%
Calcium 150mg15%
Iron 0.9mg5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Spiced Rose Crumb Cake
Spiced Rose Crumb Cake

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