Coffee cake is sometimes also known as “crumb cake.” Not because it contains coffee or tastes like coffee, but because it is so often served with coffee. This is the muffin version, just like the original cake, these muffins are moist and tender, with plenty of buttery crumble on top. First, we start with a combination of butter and oil. Oil makes muffins nice and soft and fluffy, while butter has a great flavor that oil is lacking, but tends to make muffins a bit too dense.  To start making our coffee cake muffins, place your dry ingredients into a big bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Give them a quick whisk just to combine everything. In a smaller bowl, stir melted butter, sour cream, eggs, milk, and vanilla together until smooth. Pour the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients, and fold gently until just barely combined. It might seem really dry at first, but if you just keep folding it will come together. The batter will be very thick and stiff- this is how you know your muffins are going to bake up nice.

Fill the wells of your muffin pan just a little less than half full, and then sprinkle a little of your crumb topping on. Then, layer more of the sour cream cake batter on top. Another layer of streusel and into the oven they go. You’ll know your crumb cake muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The crumb cake muffins will keep for a couple of days (at room temperature) this way. Maybe up to a week in the fridge.

Ingredients;

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
    Crumb toppings;
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    Cinnamon swirl;
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
    Vanilla Glaze;
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons cream

Instructions;

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin tin with paper liners, set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.
  3. In a smaller bowl or large measuring cup, whisk milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Pour wet mixture into the dry bowl and mix until you have a thick but smooth batter.
  4. For the crumb topping, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl with a fork. Add the melted butter and stir until crumbly.
  5. For the cinnamon swirl, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  6. Begin to assemble the batter inside the lined muffin tin by scooping 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin cavity.
  7. Place a teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top, give it a quick swirl, and top with more muffin batter, filling the tin 3/4 to the top.
  8. Sprinkle about a heaping tablespoon of crumb topping on top of each muffin top, covering the tops.
  9. Bake muffins for 15-17 minutes until the crumbly tops are golden and when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  10. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool down to room temperature in the pan prior to transferring them to a wire rack to glaze.
  11. Once cooled, drizzle a little glaze over cooled muffins.