I love all things crumb cake — this chocolate chip crumb cake with mini chips is a great choice if you’re looking for a small cake with big flavor and texture!

If you took a screenshot of every crumb cake variety I have ever made, you’d probably have dozens. I love crumb cakes and I feel that each one is equally good. It’s just a matter of what I’m in the mood for — a Bundt cake? A loaf cake? Chocolate chips? Cinnamon swirl? — that determines which one I make.

I have this need to have a cake on my counter at all times. I just love the homey look. This chocolate chip crumb cake is easy to make and the loaf size is smaller than a big Bundt, so it’s perfect for when you want to have a little something around but don’t need a whole big cake.

Let’s talk loaf pans for a minute as I get asked about the sizing ALL the time. The disposable loaf pan, aka the 2-lb. pan, is only 8.4×4.5 inches, which is smaller than the standard non-disposable loaf pan, which is 9.5×5 inches. Those few inches can make a very big difference. This recipe is sized for a non-disposable loaf pan, so it will not fit into a disposable loaf pan. If you really want to use a disposable, I would suggest you fill it three-quarters full and make a few muffins with the extra batter. Overfilling a loaf pan will not result in a beautiful domed top, but rather a very raw center and burnt edges (and possibly burnt batter all over the bottom of your oven!). Trust me, I speak from experience!

While this recipe was developed for a loaf pan, I am always getting asked if my loaf cakes can be made in a Bundt pan instead. The deal is that loaf pans (even the non-disposable type) are quite a bit smaller than Bundt pans, so if you choose to make this in a loaf pan, the cake will be a lot shorter. Also, when making a crumb cake in a Bundt pan, put the crumbs in the top and plate the cake upside down. For a video showing how to do this, see this post.

With any pan, real or disposable, you always want to fill it only three-quarters full, so there’s room for it to grow.

This recipe freezes beautifully, so you can start your Yom Tov baking in advance!

Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake

I love all things crumb cake — this chocolate chip crumb cake with mini chips is a great choice if you're looking for a small cake with big flavor and texture!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Cake Batter:

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine*
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream (you can use vegan sour cream to keep it pareve)
½ cup milk (you can also use almond milk or any pareve milk)
2 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups flour
1½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
¾ cup mini chocolate chips

Crumbs:

¾ cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup oil
½ cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9.5×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter or margarine, sugar, and eggs until light and frothy.
Add sour cream, milk and vanilla; mix until well incorporated.
Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix until incorporated.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
For the crumbs, place all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until it reaches a crumbly consistency. Sprinkle crumbs over batter.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Notes

*I tested this recipe with margarine and oil. Though I don’t usually bake with margarine, this cake definitely is better with it than with oil. However, if you really don’t want to use margarine, you can use oil and it will still be good.