Coffee, Coffee Cake Muffins

Spring has hit Santa Cruz making me think of all things tank tops, flip flops, BBQ's and beach traffic. This nice weather always inspires me to attempt to get into the best shape possible as upper arms and legs tend to come out when the sun is shining. Alas, this muffin does not help any of this business. This muffin is a tried and true muffin top and if you eat too many that is what can happen. Shhh don't tell. 

 As you can tell I enjoyed every last bit. There are two layers of flavors in this muffin. Espresso flavor mixed into the coffee cake. You know an extra kick of coffee in the cake really make your morning take off.

Extra butter, cinnamon and sugar to make a crunchy top. Now that is a muffin top I can get used to.

Ingredients get going. 

The brown butter adds a nutty flavor and makes your kitchen smell like magic. 

 Save half the batter and add the espresso powder mixture. 

              Mix with the remaining batter and then scoop on top of the first layer of muffins.

 Sprinkle the flour, sugar and cinnamon mixture on top. Serious muffin top madness.

Coffee, Coffee Cake Muffins

From Joy The Baker

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients 

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder mixed with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons warm water

For the Topping

3 tablespoons cold butter cute into cubes

1/2 cup flour

3 and 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. 

Melt butter in a small saucepan to brown over medium heat. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan. Once the cracking and foaming subsides the butter will begin to brown quickly so watch it closely.  Remove the butter from the heat.

In a medium bowl whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla. Add the brown butter mixture and stir to combine. 

In a large bowl, whisk together, flour, sugar, baking power and salt. Add milk and the brown butter mixture all at once, stir to combine. 

Divide half of the batter among the muffin cups. With the remaining batter stir in the espresso and water mixture. Dived the espresso batter between the muffin cups. 

For the topping combine all the ingredients in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the cups. 

Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20-25 min. Cool in a pan on a rack for 15 minutes and then remove from the pain. Serve warm or at room temp. Enjoy!