Keepin' It Real

This recipe for Coffee Crumb Cakes is supposed to be a knock-off of Hostess's cinnamon coffee cakes. I used to eat those coffee cakes all the time. They're really good so I was hoping this recipe would turn out just as tasty.

It didn't.

These muffins are really bland, and definitely not sweet enough. The recipe called for cinnamon to be in the topping only. I think it'd be better to swirl it through the batter. I'd also add more sugar (brown sugar) and vanilla to give it a better flavor.
This is one recipe that ended up being tossed out. :(


Coffee Crumb Cakes-
(Adapted from FamilyCircle magazine)

1½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
½ cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
½ tsp. vanilla

Topping-
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray and dust with flour.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-size bowl. Whisk to blend. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until smooth. Add flour mixture alternating with milk until just blended. Stir in vanilla.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, about ¼ cup in each.

Topping: Combine sugars, cinnamon and salt in a medium-size bowl. Stir in melted butter. Add flour and rub mixture with hands to make crumb topping. Mixture should clump together and form little balls. Sprinkle topping over batter in the cups, about 1 heaping tablespoon for each.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.