An ideal deal with to pair with espresso or tea, these decadent crumb cake muffins are like a slice of your favourite espresso crumb cake, however in handheld kind. Similar to in my go-to muffin recipe, the bitter cream within the batter retains the muffins moist and tender with out weighing them down. However let’s be actual: we’re actually right here for these buttery brown sugar cinnamon crumbles on prime… and there are a lot!
Not too long ago, I got down to make a muffin model of my super-popular recipes for espresso cake and New York-style crumb cake. Individually portioned muffins which have all the identical qualities you’re keen on about basic crumb cake:
- Flavors of cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla
- A moist, barely dense crumb made with bitter cream
- Oodles of scrumptious crumbles on prime
- And just a little vanilla icing drizzle for good measure!
Behind the Recipe: Testing Crumb Cake Muffins
It turned out to take extra rounds of testing than I anticipated! As somebody who has made numerous batches of muffins over time, and will most likely make any variation of this versatile muffin recipe in my sleep, I believed it could be a chunk of (crumb) cake to develop this recipe!
As a substitute, because the muffins have been rising within the oven, they began shedding their crumbles all around the muffin pan, like they couldn’t wait to be freed from them. What a disappointment—to not point out a large number.
Right here’s how we fastened it:
After a couple of extra rounds of testing, my crew and I discovered what wanted to vary to persuade the crumb cake muffins to carry onto their crumbs:
- Don’t fill the muffin cups fully. In most of my muffin recipes, I direct you to fill the muffin cups all the best way to the highest, as a result of we wish these super-tall bakery-style muffin tops. However we want these muffins to not rise into tall peaks, so the crumbles don’t go tumbling off in an avalanche. Utilizing much less batter in every muffin cup extends the batter to make 15 muffins, so that you get 3 bonus muffins! You’re welcome!
- Skip the standard high-heat trick. Once more, with most of my muffin recipes, I instruct you to start out baking the muffins at 425°F for the primary 5 minutes, after which decreasing the temperature to 350°F for the rest of the bake time. This shortly lifts the tops of the muffins up, however once more, we don’t need that right here. Bake the whole time at 350°F (177°C).
Even with these changes, it is best to count on to nonetheless lose a couple of crumbles because the muffins increase and rise within the oven. However don’t fear, I’ve made certain the recipe makes a lot of crumb topping for these muffins!
Seize These Substances:
- Brown Sugar: Moist brown sugar is the important thing to a crumb topping that’s gentle, not crunchy.
- Cinnamon: A key taste in each the topping and the bottom of those muffins.
- Butter: You want melted butter for the crumb topping, and room-temperature butter for the muffin batter. Creaming the room-temperature butter with sugar produces a splendidly cakey texture.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is your best option for the topping in addition to the batter.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These leavening brokers assist the muffins rise. You’ll discover I lowered the baking soda from my normal muffin recipe—this creates a barely extra managed carry, permitting the muffins to carry onto extra crumbs. They’re nonetheless splendidly mild and tender!
- Salt: Taste enhancer.
- Granulated Sugar: When you may use brown sugar right here, I like to recommend white granulated sugar to make sure the feel of the muffins isn’t overly heavy and dense.
- Eggs: Bind components collectively, and add tenderness and richness.
- Vanilla Extract: If in case you have do-it-yourself vanilla extract, use it!
- Bitter Cream: The magic moist maker! Similar to on this white cake, bitter cream provides moisture with out weighing down these cake-like muffins.
- Milk: Just a bit, to skinny out the batter.
Make the Crumb Topping First
You’ll combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter collectively. I normally simply use a fork to do that. Add within the flour, and stir till medium-sized crumbles kind. You don’t wish to overmix it otherwise you’ll find yourself with a paste. Refrigerate the crumb topping till you’re prepared to make use of it.
Why? Chilly crumbs maintain their form higher whereas baking.
Subsequent, Make the Muffins
Whisk the dry components, cream butter and sugars, add the remaining moist components because the recipe instructs beneath, and blend all of it collectively as you add the milk.
Divide the batter between 15 muffin liners. When you attempt to make fewer muffins, they’ll rise an excessive amount of, and all the crumbs will fall off. Belief me, my crew and I’ve made many failed batches in our makes an attempt.
Press the chilly crumbs down as a lot as potential to stick them to the batter:
Whereas I like muffins with add-ins, from fruit to chocolate chips, nuts, and extra, this muffin is something however plain. As a substitute, with nothing to distract from them, the candy, buttery, cinnamon-y flavors actually shine by! A number of style testers even requested for “extra of these scrumptious brown sugar muffins.”
Wonderful taste right here!
Nonetheless, if you wish to take these crumb cake muffins to the subsequent stage of crumb cake indulgence, you’ll be able to at all times add a drizzle of straightforward 3-ingredient vanilla icing. 😉
Can’t get sufficient crumb topping? Listed below are some extra favourite recipes for you:
Crumb Cake Muffins
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Prepare dinner Time: 22 minutes
Complete Time: 47 minutes
Yield: 15 muffins
Class: Muffins
Technique: Baking
Delicacies: American
Description
These wealthy and buttery crumb cake muffins seize all of the goodness of a basic crumb espresso cake however in a wonderfully portioned, handheld deal with. For the very best outcomes, comply with the recipe intently—divide the batter evenly into 15 muffins (no fewer) and chill the crumb topping to assist it keep its texture.
Crumb Topping
Muffins
Non-obligatory Vanilla Icing
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners; line 3 cups of a second muffin pan with 3 liners (or bake in batches)—this recipe makes 15 muffins. Put aside.
- Make the crumb topping: Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter collectively in a small bowl till mixed. Add the flour and use a fork to softly combine till crumbs kind. Don’t over-mix right into a paste. Simply combine till it’s crumbly. It’ll look like a variety of crumb topping, and it’s! These are generously topped. Place crumb topping combination within the fridge whilst you make the muffin batter. Chilly crumbs maintain form higher when baking.
- Make the muffins: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt collectively in a medium bowl. Put aside.
- In a big bowl utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar collectively on excessive pace till clean and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the edges of the bowl as wanted. Add the eggs and beat on medium pace till included. Add the bitter cream and vanilla, and beat till the combination is mixed and principally creamy. (It’s okay if it seems considerably curdled.) Scrape down the edges of the bowl as wanted.
- With the mixer working on low pace, add the dry components, adopted by the milk. Keep away from over-mixing—you could want to modify to stirring with a spatula or whisking by hand to make sure no flour pockets are hiding on the backside of the bowl. Batter is thick.
- Spoon roughly 3 Tablespoons of batter into every of the 15 ready muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full. Spoon crumb topping on every, gently urgent it down so it adheres to the batter.
- Bake for 22–24 minutes or till a toothpick inserted within the middle comes out clear. It’s regular for a number of the crumb topping to fall off the edges because the muffins increase, however most ought to stay securely on prime.
- Permit the muffins to chill for five minutes within the muffin pan(s), then switch to a cooling rack to proceed cooling. Allow them to cool for a minimum of quarter-hour earlier than icing.
- Make the icing (if utilizing): Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract collectively. Add one other Tablespoon of milk or heavy cream to skinny out if essential. For thicker icing, add just a little extra confectioners’ sugar. Drizzle over muffins.
- Iced or plain muffins keep recent lined at room temperature for a couple of days or within the fridge for as much as 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Directions: Freeze baked & cooled muffins for as much as 3 months. You possibly can freeze with or with out the icing, however making the icing recent earlier than serving is at all times greatest. Thaw within the fridge or at room temperature earlier than having fun with. Heat up within the microwave if desired.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Milk: You should utilize any milk, dairy or nondairy, in each the muffin batter and icing. For greatest style and texture, I don’t suggest nonfat milk.
- Confectioners’ Sugar in Icing: I exploit and suggest Domino model confectioners’ sugar.