Warm Chocolate Crumble Cake with Melting Vanilla Ice Cream

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A dense, brownie-fudgy chocolate cake baked under a craggy cocoa streusel, served hot from the oven straight in the baking dish. The crumble stays crisp, the center stays molten-soft, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream melts down into the cracks. One bowl for the crumble, one for the batter, and about 40 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate (60–70%), chopped
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp brewed hot coffee or hot water

• 1 pint good vanilla bean ice cream
• flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Make the crumble first so it can chill: in a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the 6 tablespoons of cold cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like damp gravel with some pea-sized clumps. Stir in the chocolate chips, squeeze a few handfuls into bigger clusters, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third. Butter a 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking dish (2-quart capacity), or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Do not line it — this cake is served in the dish.
3. Put the chopped bittersweet chocolate and 10 tablespoons butter in a large heatproof bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until about 90 percent melted, then stir until fully smooth. Let cool 5 minutes so it's warm, not hot.
4. Whisk both sugars into the melted chocolate; the mixture will look grainy and thick. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking hard for about 20 seconds after each, then whisk in the vanilla. The batter should turn glossy and slightly lighter in color.
5. Sift the 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and baking powder directly over the batter. Fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the 2 tablespoons hot coffee. Stop mixing as soon as it's uniform — overmixing makes it cakey instead of fudgy.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Scatter the chilled crumble evenly over the surface, keeping the clumps intact; leave a few gaps so steam can escape.
7. Bake 34 to 40 minutes, until the crumble is set and dry to a light touch and a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out with a few moist crumbs. The center should still be visibly soft and jiggle slightly when you nudge the dish — that's the fudgy zone. If the topping browns fast, tent loosely with foil at the 25-minute mark.
8. Let the cake rest in the dish 15 to 20 minutes. It needs to set enough to scoop but should still be hot in the middle.
9. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt, bring the whole dish to the table, and serve with a spoon plus generous scoops of vanilla ice cream dropped right onto the hot surface so it starts melting into the crumble.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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