Coffee Cake Muffins

Today my mother made some coffee cake muffins. I have made them a few times before myself, and I think I even used the recipe she used today, but I cannot remember for sure. This recipe is from Company's Coming "Muffins and More". Coffee cake muffins are just as they sound - muffins that are like coffee cake. It is just a basic, plain muffin batter with a brown sugar and cinnamon filling in the middle. There are numerous different recipes for coffee cake muffins, but they are all basically the same. Although some recipes sprinkle the filling just on top, or in the middle and on top (much like a coffee cake itself), this recipe just calls for the filling in the middle of the muffin. This recipe states to ensure the filling is completely covered. While doing this, somehow my mother managed to have leftover filling, so she did end up sprinkling it on top of some of the muffins. That's why some muffins look different than others in the picture. The filling did not burn or anything, and was actually quite nice on top of the muffins. Most coffee cake fillings are mostly made up of brown sugar, some butter, a hint of cinnamon, and sometimes flour and/or chopped nuts. This recipe does not have any butter in it, which I think would be a very welcome addition. Coffee cake muffins are nice, but a bit plain and dry. In order to have really good coffee cake muffins, sour cream our yogurt should be used in the batter for additional moistness, and the addition of raisins, chopped apples, or nuts adds some more flavor.

Coffee Cake Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or hard margarine
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
STREUSEL
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

STREUSEL Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400◦F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease them. 
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center.
In a separate medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and egg. Add the milk and vanilla. Pour into well and stir until just moistened.
Fill each muffin cup 1/3 full. Sprinkle each with some of the streusel, then top with remaining batter (fill the cups 2/3 full). Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
The recipe yields 12 muffins, which we barely got - they are quite small. Also, be careful not to overbake the muffins.

Paré, Jean. "Coffee Cake Muffins." Recipe. Muffins & More, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1983. 15.