Coffee Cake...But As A Muffin!

by Donovan Eniram

Coffee, rich in aroma with a bittersweet flavor, and cake, oh sweet delicious cake, moist and fluffy...what could be a better pairing? Well, surprisingly, there is no actual coffee in this cake as the name suggests. Its origins can be traced back to Germany where it was originally a sweet bread rather than cake. Then, around 1879, the term “coffee cake” gained popularity and became a common dessert in America. The recipe consists of a layered pound cake with a cinnamon streusel that happens to pair perfectly with a cup of coffee, and, thus, the name coffee cake was born. While some may also apply the term crumb cake, these desserts are actually two separate dishes, the only real difference being the amount of streusel in each dish. But in this recipe, we're taking this classic dessert and downsizing it into a muffin. Why? Because I like muffins, and if you're reading this, you must like muffins too. Now, let's get into the recipe.

Coffee Cake Muffins

COOK TIME ~ 17 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME ~ 42 MINUTES

SERVINGS ~ 12 MUFFINS

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Crumb Topping:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp table salt

• ¼ cup of oats (optional)

Coffee Cake Muffin:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp kosher salt

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 cup sour cream

• 3 tbsp milk

• 2 large eggs

• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 2 to 4 tbsp milk

Directions:

Cinnamon Crumb Topping:

1. Mix the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Coffee Cake Muffins:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a muffin pan with papers or grease the pan with butter.

2. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk the melted butter, sour cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth.

4. Add the sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and fold together until just barely combined.

5. Fill the wells of the muffin pan halfway with the sour cream coffee cake batter, then top with a few teaspoons of the cinnamon crumb topping.

6. Divide the remaining batter equally among all 12 wells of the muffin pan and top with the remaining cinnamon crumb topping.

7. Bake the crumb cake muffins for 5 minutes at 425 degrees F, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Glaze:

1. In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar and milk till it reaches a smooth yet thick consistency.

Once muffins are cooled, the glaze can be drizzled over the top of the muffins. You can put as much as you like but not too much to where it drowns the cupcake. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a cool, dry place until ready to be served.

Now, you can add more crumb topping if you please (some will fall off during the baking process, though gently pressing the crumbs down into the dough should help). Oats add an extra crunch that I enjoy though it's not required. Table salt is better for the crumb due to it being smaller granules that dissolve evenly. If you use kosher salt you may have salty pockets which can be off-putting so I suggest staying away. Kosher salt in the batter, however, won't affect it though. Serve as you like, but a nice warm drink is highly recommended. These muffins go great with, you guessed it, coffee. A nice vanilla or spice blend would be perfect, but even hot chocolate or some tea will go well. Personally, cinnamon tea with a bit of cream and sugar is my favorite pairing. With that, I hope you enjoy and stay warm during these chilly winter months.