Bake 52: New York Style Crumb Cake (cupcakes)

Do you ever have those days?  Lately I have felt like I can't find my head only to discover, hours later, that it is in fact, strapped to my neck.  I've had a lot of those days lately.  So it's really not a surprise that I added an ingredient to these crumb cupcakes.  But more on that in a minute.  

This was a first time for me, making crumb cake.  

I was super excited about it though for a few reasons. 1)  Add a crumb topping to anything and count me in.  2)  Especially when that crumb topping is basically brown sugar and butter. 3)  We had family in town and I was super excited to have peeps to share baked goods with. 4)  I really do like trying new recipes and baking new things.  I think that's what makes us better.  Doing.  And there is always a lesson in trying new things.

On a side note, is anyone surprised that I turned these into cupcakes?  Or muffins, whatever you would call them?  If you are, you haven't been following along because I seem to want to cram EVERYTHING into some sort of muffin tin.  I haven't figured out why yet, when I do I will let you know.  The recipe is written for an 8x8 pan and I made 12 muffins.  The ratio seemed to be about 1/2 cake and 1/2 crumb.  That's what I like to hear, really.   

And now I think I need a drum roll for my super secret extra ingredient........

egg shells and lots of them!  (hanging head in shame)

I can't be sure what happened exactly.  My eggs were room temperature like the recipe said they should be and I think sometimes they crack easier when they are room temperature.  Has anyone else noticed that (or maybe it's me trying to make myself feel better)?  Anyway the mixer was running and I think I used the counter top to crack the egg but instead of cracking it a little bit, the whole egg fell out.  Which was upsetting, I hate egg mess on the counter (gag), it's slimy and sticks to the rag (gag).   In my gaggy panic, I guess I threw the egg shell into the mixing bowl?  It seems like something only an idiot would do but after throwing the egg yolk into the mixer and cleaning up the egg white, I looked into the bowl and saw a piece of egg shell.  I removed it only to find more.  Then I started looking around for the egg shell I had cracked and I didn't know where it was.  Not in the sink, on the counter or the top of the garbage.  The only explanation, really, is that I just threw the stupid shell in my bowl.  I know it makes me a crazy person, and I wish it weren't true, but after picking out all of this I had to just admit it to myself.  (quiet sobs)

 See all those bleeping pieces of egg shell?  Even after picking out all of these I was sure I didn't have them all.  I probably should have started over.  But it was 11:00 last night and I had walked all over Disneyland and California Adventure and what felt like all of California for the past 2 days so I just baked them anyway.  Knowing I wouldn't share them with anyone.

Before baking

 After baking

I wish I could say the egg shell thing was the only idiotic thing I did last night.  While cleaning up, I turned my head and I was sure I had a huge bug on my back.  I was seconds away from turning into a dog-chasing-it's-tail when I realized it was only my earring.  I went to bed very soon after that.  Clean kitchen or not. 

The crumb cake was good if you could ignore the gritty sand texture that showed up every other bite.  I agree with a couple of the other bakers that they could have been more moist.  When I make them again, I might swap the butter for oil in the cake and see how that goes.  I might also double the brown sugar in the crumble, just for kicks.   If you'd like the recipe, you can get it at Jenn's blog.  She was our host for the week and picked our recipe.  Thanks Jenn!