New Jersey Crumb Bun

I stirred the flour, milk, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt together by hand in the bowl to the stand mixer, and then, using the dough hook, I mixed the batter on low for two minutes.  I added the butter, one tablespoon at a time, allowing each one to completely mix into the batter before adding the next.  Once all the butter was in, I mixed it on high for six minutes until the dough looked like a web when I pulled it.

I scooped the very thick batter into a 9 x 13-inch vegetable oil-coated glass baking dish.  With my floured fingers, I worked the dough evenly to the edges of the dish.  I covered it with plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour on the sous-vide, the warmest spot in our kitchen.

After the cake had risen for forty-five minutes, I whisked together the melted butter, the two sugars, the cinnamon, and the salt.  I stirred in the cake flour, a little at a time until it was well blended.  I let the topping sit for 10 minutes and then broke it into half-inch pieces, placing them on top of the cake.

I baked it in a 350-degree oven, checking it after 35 minutes with a skewer.  It took about 10 minutes longer before it was ready.  I put the baking dish on a wire rack to cool for three hours and then eased the cake onto a cutting board.

While the topping is very sweet, the cake is not, so it has a nice balance.  It was delicious with coffee and I only needed a couple of bites to feel pleasantly satisfied.  I cut the rest of the cake into portions and froze them individually for later.