Cake batter:
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. instant yeast
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Crumbs:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar gran.
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Garnish:
Glazing sugar for dusting
Grease a 9x13-in pan
In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Stir in the flour to make a batter, then add the butter and mix until it's fully incorporated. Cover and let rise in the bowl for 1 hour, 15 mins.
While the batter rises, make up the crumb mixture. In a med. bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir the almond extract into the melted butter and pour all at once into the dry mixture. Stir with a fork just until all of the flour has become moistened: set the crumbs aside..
After the batter's first rise, spread it on the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spatula so that the batter is level. Sprinkle the crumbs over the batter and allow the cake to rise for 45 mins.
Preheat the oven to 350% F.
After the second 45 min rise, bake the cake for 35 mins, until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack for 30 mins before cutting into squares. Generously dust the top of the crumbs with glazing sugar before serving.
Yield:
twenty-four 2 in. squares.