Doughnut Muffins

I'm not particularly tempted by muffins. (Remember when I made these?...Hardly touched a one of them.)

Or doughnuts for that matter. (Although, the fact that VooDoo Doughnuts is around the corner has moderately changed this.)

But when worlds collide - and, oh, did they ever collide - someone...anyone...please save me from myself.

These doughnut muffins are light and airy enough that you are sure to be coming back for more, and fortunately, they are small enough that you won't feel guilty indulging in a few (liberal estimate). 

Doughnut Muffins 

adapted from evil chef mom

Ingredients:

1 +1/2 sticks butter, softened (6 oz.)

3/4 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar

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2 eggs

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13 + 1/2 oz. all-purpose flour (approx. 2+3/4 cups)

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

7/8 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

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5/6 c. whole milk, at room temperature

2 tbsp. buttermilk, at room temperature

Muffin Topping:

(not to be confused with a muffin top, which these muffins very well may give you)

1/2 stick of butter, melted

1 c. sugar

1 tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flower a muffin pan (I used a mini muffin pan, but any size muffin pan will do.)

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until combined (about 2 minutes.)

One at a time, add the eggs to the butter mixture.

Next, sift the dry ingredients together (flour through nutmeg). In a separate container, combine the milk and buttermilk.

With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Once incorporated, add 1/3 of the wet mixture. Continue to alternate dry and wet ingredients until all are incorporated, finishing with the dry. Mix until just combined. The batter will be heavy; resist the urge to overmix.

Fill the prepared muffin pans with batter up to the rim. For my mini muffins, I used a 1 oz. ice cream scoop the batter. 

Bake until lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 15-20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack.

For the topping:

There is an easy way* to do this. And there is also a not-so-easy way to do this. I went down the latter path. Emulate at your own risk.

Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a large bowl. One at a time, coat each muffin generously with the melted butter and roll in the bowl to cover. Rinse and repeat. But not really with the rinsing (unless, of course, you're using melted butter to rinse. In that case, by all means.)

If you are like me, your fingers probably look something like this right now. Appetizing.

*To save yourself time and cakey-cinnamon-sugar fingers, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a paper bag. Coat each muffin generously with melted butter and place a few in the bag. Shake well to coat the muffins.