I saw people in bikinis today. People. In. Bikinis.
Friends… apparently it’s time. Granted, I live in Los Angeles. It’s SunnySunTown.
Just a few days ago I was eager and ready for summer. Summer is great, right!? Well… I was mostly thinking about watermelon, picnics, and late night tacos. I was NOT thinking about bikinis. I’m not ready to think about bikinis. I’m medium ready to think about tankinis… and that’s about as far as it goes.
I tend to have really strange reactions to seeing people in bikinis. I make muffins. It’s sort of a knee-jerk reaction. People are wearing very little clothes in public? Right… right. I’ll be right back. I have to go make a dozen, and eat at least two muffins. (brb. no bigs)
I want to pack these muffins with as much flavor as possible.
In my kitchen, flavor generally starts with browned butter.
The process of browning butter takes the cold stick of yellow butter, and makes it a golden brown, nutty smelling, butter liquid.
It is divinity.
I made simple sugar fragrant and utterly lovely by adding fresh vanilla bean.
I split a vanilla bean, scraped out the seeds and rubbed it into granulated sugar. I used my clean fingers. This pretty much creates the best perfume ever.
Next flavor? Espresso!
Instant espresso powder is one of my secret weapons in the kitchen. …I’ll throw it in the eyes on any burglar that breaks in my house.
It also adds an amazing depth to chocolate desserts. Brownies and chocolate cakes are brilliant with just a touch of instant espresso powder re-hydrated in a bit of hot water.
In these muffins, the espresso powder isn’t hidden behind dreamy chocolate. The coffee flavor is combined with browned butter and vanilla sugar to create… well, a dang lovely breakfast muffin batter.
I filled the muffin cups halfway with the vanilla, brown butter batter… then I stirred the espresso mixture into the remaining batter and topped off the muffin cups. Yea… vanilla and coffee in these humble little muffins. No biggie.
Streusel and cinnamon too! It wouldn’t be coffee cake without a streusel.
These are good thinking and planning muffins. Grab your calender and coffee… settle in. Avoid any and all thoughts about bikinis.
Or! Put on a pair of cowboy boots and a little dress and take these muffins for brunch times. Totally the right move.
These muffins are tender and flavorful. The coffee flavor is alluring and not too sweet. They’re like little cupcakes you can totally get away with enjoying in the morning. It’s just good breakfast eating.
Coffee Coffee Cake Muffins
makes 12 muffins
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons istant espresso powder mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons warm water
For the Topping
3 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan. The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that. Keep a close eye. Remove from heat.
If using vanilla bean, split the vanilla bean down the center, scrape the seeds out, and in a small bowl, rub the vanilla beans into the granulated sugar. I used my fingers and it worked like a charm. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Add the brown butter and stir to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl Add milk and butter mixture all at once, and stir gently to combine.
Divide half of the batter among muffin cups. Stir the espresso and water mixture into the remaining batter. Divide the espresso batter between the twelve muffin cups.
To make the topping combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the cups.
Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them… they dry out quickly. Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then remove from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The slow pace
I’m sure they smell amazing!!! MMMM… muffins and coffee!!!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
These muffins are seriously torturing me right now! They look soooo good!
vera@growntocook
Bikini’s are a faraway thought in our chilly, wet climate here in the Netherlands. Coffee cake muffins on the other hand, seem equally appropriate :-)
Averie @ Averie Cooks
All these flavors going on…brown butter, vanilla, espresso, LOVE it. And I love crumb topping like there’s no tomorrow.
There were people in bikinis in San Diego today too. I ran in a sports bra. But also turned the heat on tonight. Nothing like some temperature swings!
Margherita
Already bikini time??? I’m glad I don’t live in LA there must be so much pressure…way better to make delicious muffins instead.
Love the idea of combining making a kind of doubla layered muffins. And, yes, there’s no muffins without streusels!
Ash
Mmm! You are so funny and silly and I love it!
I have been romanticising about what ever magic was happening with the stacked up sando cookies. Can hardly stand it! Damn food photos looking all delicious.
So looking forward to those ;)
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious
I will most definitely double the recipe, and then eat them all :)
And yes, it was so warm in LA today. I think we’re hitting the 90s on Saturday!
LaMereCulinaire
The poor burglar with espresso in his eyes!
These muffins got me drooling!
They look delicious and not just for breakfast!
I love both brown butter and espresso!
lidia
now you have got me thinking about bikinis!
seven months pregnant and i don’t think i will fit into any of my bikinis this summer
but i can enjoy plenty of late night tacos for sure.
Rima
zOMG this looks so yummy.
this with a cup of white chocolate mocha in the AM? yeaaa…
i’m not a fan of bikinis, but am a fan of muffins. I can eat a muffin anytime!
Christine
Oh I love coffee coffee cake muffins. I did the same with an espresso cake. It’s so much fun. But where the heck is the cat?
CheezyK
In the name of all things delicious!! Will definitely be trying these, probably with an espresso shot instead of the instant powder though. Oh, and a macchiato on the side … mmmmmmmm
Margarita
Boo to bikinis and yay to coffee cake muffins! I absolutely love how you flavor your sugars… the orange zest one was amazing and I bet the vanilla beans in the sugar here is amazing as well. Also, two-layered muffins… vanilla and coffee = genius!
Jennifer L.
I heart that your knee-jerk reaction to bikinis is to bake muffins… definitely my kind of thinking! These look amazing.
Julie
Late night tacos! Now I’m totally thinking of late night tacos. And coffee cake muffins. Fortunately, bikini isn’t a season for me…