Giant "Killer" Coffee Cake Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I suspect I'm a contrarian. While it's not deliberate, I swim with the salmon and often find myself heading upstream while the rest of the world is heading down. This afternoon, despite a refrigerator packed with holiday food, I could find nothing that I wanted to eat. It was raining hard, so my remedies were limited. I could brave the deluge or I could bake. Had I not just placed a log on the fire, I'd have been out the door in a New York minute, but that log sealed my fate. If I wanted something sweet I had to bake. I decided to make these muffins because, while they are easy to make, they are also delicious and I knew just one of them would set the world right and end my cravings. The recipe, which comes from Midwest Living magazine, is a new take on a favorite old-fashioned coffeecake. The recipe is scaled to make 6 large or 12 regular sized muffins. I decided to use large muffin cups because they seemed like less work and would make clean-up easier. I am not at this point in the holiday weekend, much into marathon cooking, and the 15 minutes it takes to make these muffins matched my attention span and energy level. The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow. The muffins have a lovely soft crumb and I know those of you who try the recipe will love them. I do have one thought to share with you. I think these muffins are best when served barely warm and I like to get them to the table right after they're removed from the pan. They will, however, keep for about a day before they begin to stale. Here is how these cinnamon and nut-topped muffins are made. Do try one. They make the world a better place.

Giant "Killer" Coffee Cake Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Midwest Living

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 8-oz. carton dairy sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 beaten egg
Nut Mixture
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped nuts
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1) Lightly coat 6 jumbo (3-1/2-inch) muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper bake cups. Set aside.
2) In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in shortening until  mixture is crumbly.
3) In another bowl, stir together sour cream or yogurt, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
4) To make nut mixture: Stir together brown sugar, nuts, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon.
5) Spoon half of cake batter into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle half of nut mixture into cups. Top with remaining batter and remaining nut mixture.
6) Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan and serve warm. Yield: 6 servings.

Cook's Note: For standard-size muffins, use twelve regular (2-1/2-inch) muffin cups; divide batter evenly as above. Bake in 400 degree F oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pans and serve warm.

                    

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