Buttermilk Crumb Muffins

By norsegal8

These sweet, tender muffins have a light, open crumb, rather like a soft, moist butter cake. Before the spices are added to the batter, a little is spooned off and reserved to be used as the crumb topping, providing a gentle crunch atop the cinnamon and nutmeg-laced, flat-top muffins.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, well-beaten

Details

Servings 14

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray or grease 2 12-cup muffin pans, or a 12-cup and 6-cup pan.

MIXING THE BATTER AND TOPPING
Put the flour and brown sugar into a large bowl and stir with your fingers or a fork to mix well. Break the shortening into a few pieces, drop them into the flour mixture, and, using your fingertips, lightly rub the flour and shortening together. When the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs, you’ve mixed enough – don’t worry about any little lumps. Measure out ½ cup of the mixture and set it aside to use as crumb topping.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to the flour mixture and stir with a fork to mix well. Add the buttermilk and beaten eggs and, using a large spoon, mix until the ingredients are well blended and the batter is thick and shiny.
Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each cup at least two-thirds full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a rounded teaspoon of the reserved crumb mixture and pat it gently onto the batter. Half fill any empty muffin tins with water – this will help the muffins bake evenly.

BAKING THE MUFFINS
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve warm.

STORING
The muffins are best the day they are baked, but will keep in a plastic bag or closed container for a day. Reheat for 5 to 8 minutes in a 350°F oven.