Espresso Cake Muffins Recipe – Dessert for Two

In case your favourite factor about muffins is a crumb topping, then I’ve the muffins of your desires proper right here! My Espresso Cake Muffins are made with double the crumbs: half in the midst of the muffin and the remaining piled on high. It makes 4 muffins, however you’ll be able to double or triple the recipe simply.

Two crumb topped coffee cake muffins stacked on top of each other with kitchen towel alongside.

I’ll want a sluggish clap beginning now. When the oven timer goes off, you’ll be able to start. Once I pull these out of the oven, begin to decide up the tempo. Then, after I undress a muffin, go forward and burst wildly into applause. These excellent espresso cake muffins deserve it.

My pal Heather requested a small batch of espresso cake, and since she has given me tons of fantastic restaurant suggestions, who am I to disclaim her the candy, crumbly espresso cake of her desires?

I debated over making a recipe for mini espresso cake in a 6″ pan, however after nearly 13 years of running a blog, I’ve realized that everybody has a muffin pan, however not everybody has a mini 6 inch cake pan. In the event you do personal a mini cake pan, welcome to the dessert for 2 membership. I like you, and do not miss my 6 inch cake recipes put up.

This recipe has double the crumb topping as a result of I like crumbs within the center and the highest of the muffin. it makes 4 mini espresso truffles, and I do know you may love them.

I used my recipe for coconut cupcakes as a place to begin for this recipe. In the event you’ve by no means made these, you could. They’re dense, like coconut pound cake. I’ve turned coconut haters into coconut lovers with that cupcake! Each time that recipe requires coconut something, I take advantage of cream as a swap.

Elements for Espresso Cake Muffins

Small bowls of flour, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla on white surface.

Brown Sugar. You should utilize mild or darkish brown sugar for these espresso cake muffins; each work equally effectively. It’s for the crumb topping.
Granulated Sugar. We want white granulated sugar twice: as soon as for the crumb topping and as soon as for the batter.
Floor Cinnamon.
Butter. Only one tablespoon of melted butter brings the crumb topping collectively into clumps.
All-Function Flour.
Oil. I bake with any impartial oil with out taste. This implies grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or canola oil. Don’t bake with olive oil (except it is my olive oil muffins) or coconut oil, which have robust flavors that overpower the opposite components.
Egg. One massive complete egg for this recipe; sure, each the egg yolk and egg white.
Heavy Cream. This makes the batter so wealthy and fluffy, however you should use full-fat greek yogurt or bitter cream as a substitute, if that is what you will have.
Vanilla Extract.
Baking Soda.
Baking Powder.
Nutmeg. For my part, it is freshly grated nutmeg or nothing else. The pre-ground stuff within the jar pales compared to grating a complete nutmeg. Right here is the mini microplane I take advantage of to grate it.

Easy methods to Make Espresso Cake Muffins

First, preheat the oven to 375-degrees Fahrenheit, and place 4 cupcake liners in a muffin pan. Then, mix the brown sugar, white sugar, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, melted butter, and flour in a small bowl.

Stir with a fork till this crumb combination comes collectively. Will probably be very moist, and it ought to clump collectively in your fingers when you squeeze it. Set it apart when you make the muffins.

In a separate small bowl, mix the oil, sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat along with an electrical mixer for a couple of minutes till fluffy.

Subsequent, add the entire egg, cream, and vanilla extract. Beat once more to mix.

Lastly, evenly sprinkle the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg on high. Fold to mix. Do not overmix, however make certain no streaks of flour stay within the batter.

Scoop 1 ½ tablespoons of the batter into the muffin cups. High with a spoonful of crumb topping, after which divide the remainder of the batter between all muffin cups. We’re doing this in order that the middle of the muffins have streusel filling.

Sprinkle the remaining streusel on high of every muffin, after which bake for 19-23 minutes, till a toothpick inserted comes out with solely moist crumbs clinging to it (no moist batter).

Let the freshly baked espresso cake muffins cool within the pan for a couple of minutes, after which gently take away them from the pan. Let cool utterly and serve.

Coffee cake muffin sliced in half to show inner streusel filling.

Once you slice these in half, you’ll be able to see the ripple of streusel within the middle of the muffin. It’s so yummy to have streusel inside a muffin and on high of a muffin!

In the event you love crumb topping as a lot as me, take a look at my crumb donuts recipe from a number of years in the past.

Variations:

Heavy Cream – Heavy cream is my first selection for this recipe, as a result of the fats in heavy cream makes muffins so tender. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to swap in equal quantities of full-fat greek yogurt or bitter cream.
Fruit – If you wish to stir in a half-cup of recent blueberries, you’ll be able to. Coat them in a small quantity of flour earlier than including them to the batter in order that they do not sink to the underside. You would possibly bear in mind this trick from my small batch blueberry muffins recipe!
Serving – Sure, you could double this recipe. I’ve even tripled it to make one dozen espresso cake muffins with nice success.

Storage

This can be a small-batch recipe that solely makes 4 muffins, so you will not must retailer them for lengthy. Nonetheless, when you double or triple the recipe, retailer any leftovers in an air-tight container on the counter at room temperature. They may hold for as much as 3 days when you add a slice of bread to assist with moisture retention. You can even freeze them (already baked), and defrost in a single day within the fridge. After a number of seconds within the microwave, they are going to style freshly baked!

Questions on Espresso Cake Muffins

Why is it referred to as a espresso cake muffin?

You may be shocked to search out out this recipe doesn’t comprise espresso. A espresso cake is known as such as a result of bakeries promote them to accompany a cup of espresso. They’re moist, comfortable truffles that go completely with any morning beverage.

What makes a espresso cake a espresso cake?

It is the streusel topping that makes one thing a espresso cake. Right here, we’re placing streusel contained in the muffin and on high for one of the best expertise ever.

Yield: 4