Coffee Cake Muffins

My friend and good baker/cook Matt mentioned that he might expect to see a recipe for my coffee cake muffins on this blog some time.  This version (yes, my own recipe) is a sour cream muffin enhanced with a middle layer of simple brown sugar/cinnamon struesel, and crowned with a crusty struesel top dusted with just a bit of confectioner's sugar. 

These muffins are great I made them last night and I have some spare Saturday morning time, so here you are, Matt!

COFFEE CAKE MUFFINS
makes 1 dozen standard-sized muffins  (and maybe a few more)

Oven 375 degrees F

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar blended with 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Just a little confectioners sugar for dusting the tops

Directions:
(read through first - there are a few steps and you should know what to expect)

Beat butter with sugar till light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add sour cream.  Blend thoroughly.

In separate bowl, mix flour with baking powder, soda, and salt.  Add to butter mixture and beat well (yes, it's OK to mix this very well) until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.  Scrape sides of bowl and beat again for a few seconds.

Spray standard-sized muffin tins with cooking spray or canola spray, or use paper liners.  Using small cookie scoop (or about 2 tbsp. batter) fill muffin cups with half the batter.  Level batter with a floured measuring cup or bottom of glass (I spray my 1/3 c. metal measuring cup with canola spray and then dip it in flour).  Put 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar mixture on top of bottom half of muffins.  Spread a little.  Repeat with second half of dough, leveling after, another teaspoon of brown sugar, spread.   (You may find you have enough batter to make 4-6 additonal muffins in another tin.)

Bake at 375 degrees F  until muffins dome a little and the tops are dry.  Remove from oven.  Allow to cool on rack.  Sift confectioners sugar over tops.  Remove when cool to a baking rack. 



My muffins are have already been enjoyed by a small crowd, so here's credit to the featured picture from the Web:  http://fruittart.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/coffeecake-muffin.jpg