Cinnamon-Buttermilk Muffins

Yay, my first recipe from my new Williams-Sonoma Muffins cookbook! Ed chose this one as our maiden attempt at better muffins, and we would both call it successful.

Since it only makes 9 muffins I doubled it, all except the butter, cinnamon and sugar for the topping. Those still provide enough to top a double recipe.

This recipe is similar to a Younce family recipe called "Muffins that Taste Like Donuts." The cakey inside has a vanilla-nutmeg essence, and the outisde has a cinnamon sugar coating. Which, by the way, the girls loved helping me do (and eat.) They both said, unsolicited, that these muffins tasted like donuts. Seriously, what a way to sell a muffin. Then when Ginger exclaimed, "These ARE donuts!" I thought, hey why not? So around our house we have a new name for these simple classics: "Donuts that Look Like Muffins!"

Cinnamon-Buttermilk Muffins
(a.k.a. Donuts that Look Like Muffins)

7 T unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

2/3 cup sugar

1 T ground cinnamon

6 T unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 9 standard muffin cups with butter or nonstick cooking spray; fill the unused cups 1/3 full with water to prevent warping (this is for perfectionists; I never do this.)

2. To make the muffins, in a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, beating well until pale and smooth.

3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add to the butter mixture in 2 increments, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

4. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it three-fourths full. Bake until golden, dry and springy to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins and let stand until cool enough to handle.

5. To make the topping, stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Holding the bottom of a muffin, dip the top into the melted butter, turning to coat it evenly. Immediately dip the top in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating it evenly, then tapping it to remove excess sugar. Transfer to the rack, right side up. Repeat with the remaining muffins. Let cool completely before serving (or not.)

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Muffins