DoughnutMuffin
Originally uploaded by icecreamb4dinner
Finally back in baking mode. These were baked on Sunday, but I haven't had time to post since then. Since then, we've also made some chocolate chip cookies, so I'll try to post that on here, too. There was a while there were I was far too busy to do anything baking related, but I have managed to find a wee bit of baking time in between studying for exams and doing papers. This time, we decided to go with yet another King Arthur Flour recipe, since we are a little in love with them at the moment. This recipe... ehhhh. Some people said they tasted doughnut, others didn't get it at all. Also, ours came out a wee bit on the dry side, but when they are warmed up a second before eating them, they taste much better. The topping K.A. says to go with is a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top of melted butter. But this didn't really do it for me. I think these would be WAY better with a simple glaze or icing on top, like a...doughnut. Plus, it would help with the dry factor. Perhaps we'll try that next time.
Overall these are a nice little not-so-sweet breakfast muffin.
What I do recommend is listening to them when they say to spray your muffin liners. I had never heard of doing that before, and didn't, but after we peeled the first muffin from its paper I could see why you need to. They get a bit stuck to the paper if you don't.
Doughnut Muffins from King Arthur Flour
the World Wide Web.
Batter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk
Topping
3 tablespoons butter, melted*
4 teaspoons cinnamon-sugar*
*These amounts are the "greater amounts" K.A. called for if you want an "extra sugary top" but I couldn't find enough surface area on these muffins top to fit all that on there!
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper or silicone muffin cups (we did Cupcake sized muffins and made about 18 or so), and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar till smooth. Add the eggs, beating for several minutes and scraping the bowl, till the mixture is smooth and light colored. Beat in the baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.
Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined. Spoon the batter evenly into 12 lightly greased muffin cups.
Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter (this is easily done in the microwave).
Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Repeat the process, if desired. Allow the muffins to cool on a rack.