The Key to Crisp, Crunchy Streusel

“What’s in this cake?” my friend/trainer Mel asked me, with a mouth full of Streusel-Topped Banana Cake. “Bananas,” I said. “A layer of sliced bananas.” She nodded. “It’s good. Different, but good.” (In addition to the bananas, the streusel has a pleasant saltiness that balances all the sweetness. It makes it almost too easy to eat.)

Unlike banana bread—for which we have several recipes and variations—this cake is more like coffee cake, with a South American twist. First baked by German immigrants who brought fruit-filled, streusel-topped cakes with them to Brazil during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was eventually adapted for local produce (like bananas) and this version, called cuca in Portuguese, was born.

The bananas usually are layered over the cake batter, just under the streusel, but this can lead to soggy streusel. During testing, we found that sandwiching the slices between layers of batter prevented the streusel from absorbing the fruit’s moisture and becoming soft.

But the real key to crispy-crunchy streusel is the freezer. Popping the combination of flour, sugar and butter—lots of butter—into the freezer ensures it doesn’t melt too quickly in the oven, so your topping comes out crisp and crunchy.

I took the cake to the gym to share with my gym friends, so it is now gone, but I will be making it again. It takes about half an hour to throw together; all you need is a couple of bowls, a spoon, and your hands. The ease, coupled with the rave reviews it received, has earned it a spot in my regular rotation.

Speaking of my rotation, I’m making a lot of recipes with ground meat, like turkey, pork and beef, usually saucy affairs that can be spooned over rice or into lettuce wraps or flatbreads. Last night, I made a big batch of our Ground Pork with Miso and Ginger. Sauté some ginger and scallions, add a few spoonfuls of miso, then add your meat, some soy sauce, mirin and a little water. Cook until the meat is browned and coated in the sauce. Done.

It makes 4 servings, so that’s dinner sorted through at least Wednesday. I had it with rice last night, but am thinking about enjoying it with a few fluffy scrambled eggs tonight when I get back from the gym (I have a powerlifting meet coming up, so am really emphasizing the protein).

If you’re not a pork fan, we have a very similar recipe that uses chicken instead. If you want to mix up the flavor profile, try this Spiced Chicken, which features garam masala, chewy dried cranberries and crunchy pistachios; or this dish, which combines ground pork with warm spices and savory olives and feta cheese. There’s also one with shiitake mushrooms and snow peas, which I have yet to try but looks quite enticing.

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Claire Lower

Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.