Beat of a Different Crumb: Colossal Crumb Cake from Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe, NJ

When it comes to crumb cake, the ratio which generally reigns in my homeland of New Jersey tends to be something along the lines of 70/30, crumb to cake. Unfortunately, this has basically ruined all other crumb cake for me: no matter how delicious or well-made it may be, if it isn't crumb heavy, I'm probably not going to approve.

So you can imagine my awe, wonder and delight when I came across the colossal crumb cake (yes, that's the official name) at the Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe.

Seriously, this crumb cake is off the hook, with a ratio of roughly 90/10, crumb to cake. One Cake Gumshoe aptly dubbed it "crumb on a cracker"; I call it a modern miracle. This work of crumb cake art has a delicious crispiness on the outside which gives way to a (surprisingly not tooth numbingly sweet) chewy interior; the brown sugar is delightfully balanced with a touch of salt, and the sliver of cake beneath the crumb adds a nice, buttery contrast to the slightly gritty sweetness.

I'm pretty sure they have other things at this bakery; maybe one day I will try them. But for now, I only have one colossal crush.

Colossal crumb cake from the Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe, 55 Main Avenue, Ocean Grove, NJ; online at oceangrovebakeshoppe.com.

Comments

[emma wallace]

Oh... my... goodness. I need to make a trip to New Jersey.

[jenny holiday]

Wowwwwwzerrr!!! How have we never tried this???? We LOOOVE OGBS!! They have the BEST cupcakes around...for reealz!!! Super old fashioned and moist and just perfect!! Much much better than Baker Boys in our opinion.

I'm thinking we will have to try this insanity out tomorrow!!!!! I LOOOOVe crumb cake...and mannnnn this ratio is like a dream come true!!Thank you!!!!!!

xoxo Jenny

[Barbara]

That doesn't even look like a cake! It's so dense. It looks like a big chunk of brown sugar fudge with a crumb topping! Yuuuummy.

[Dina]

i am from nj also and totally concur about the crumb cake. this one looks like a crumb cake lovers dream. will have to try it.

[Lori]

That's just INSANE! As a crumb cake lover, I never thought a cake like that would be possible.

[Brochure Printing]

Holy cow... can't believe that's actually a crumb cake. It looked like a brownie to me when I first saw the photo. Why must I live so far away from Jersey?! :D

[kristina]

That looks awesome! If you like lots of crumbs, you'd love Torrisi Italian Specialty's crumb cake (Nolita, NYC) and B&W's (Hackensack, NJ). The first is my fiance's fave and the latter is mine (I think B&W has more crumbs). They may not be 90/10 but both are very yummy!

Also: there's a bakery a few blocks from me that sells crumb cake crumbs in a bag… I haven't purchased them for fear of addiction. Eep!