Streuselkuchen (German Crumb Cake) vs Tarta de Santiago (St. James Cake)

Streuselkuchen and Tarta de Santiago share sugar, butter, egg and lemon zest, yet use them in very different ways. In the Streuselkuchen, butter takes centre stage: a little enriches a soft, yeasted milk dough, while a generous amount of cold butter is rubbed with flour and sugar into a thick layer of golden crumbs, with lemon zest only an optional accent. Tarta de Santiago relies instead on almond flour and four eggs for a tender, delicate cake fragrant with lemon zest and cinnamon. Butter merely greases its pan, and a powdered-sugar stencil design finishes it.