Coffee Cake Swirl Muffins

A morning favorite, fluffy butter cake swirled with coffee and brown sugar, generously topped with a cinnamon sugar crumb.

I've always loved the Entenmann's coffee cakes you can buy at a local store. They're perfectly salty and sweet and that crumb?! So much yum in a bite. So when I started baking from scratch I thought I might try to make my own version of a coffee cake muffin and this recipe is it! You have a fluffy buttery cake, swirled with cinnamon, brown sugar and ground coffee, topped with a brown sugar cinnamon crumb. And it tastes even better the next day, when the crumb softens! It is a bit of work with all the different parts (the cake, the swirl and the crumb), so make it tonight for tomorrow morning if you like!

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Coffee Cake Swirl Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup granulate sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Swirl

• 2 tbsp packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp instant coffee

Crumb

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup, unsalted butter, melted

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

*Optional: powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Set out your butter, eggs and sour cream to soften, about 30 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, prepare your flour mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, prepare your crumb. Melt the butter, then add both sugars, cinnamon, salt and finally the flour. Give it a gentle stir just to combine. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, prepare your swirl. Add the brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and instant coffee and stir to combine. Set aside.

5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners.

6. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (you can also whisk by hand or use a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

7. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.

8. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.

9. Scoop the cupcake batter into the liners about 3/4 full.

10. Pour the swirl evenly amongst the cups. Use a toothpick to swirl into the cake batter.

11. Distribute the crumb evenly amongst the cups, and don't be afraid to pack it in, the cakes will still rise.

12. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

13. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes.

14. Optional: dust with powdered sugar for a little more sweetness and presentation.

Notes

• Most of the work for these muffins is in the prep. I recommend using the time that your butter, sour cream and eggs come to room temperature to work on the different parts of the batter.

• The crumb is crisp when the muffins are fresh out of the oven, and are softened by the next day, so whether you like a crisp or soft crumb, you can enjoy these muffins!

Photos