Cinnamon Muffins w/ Crumb Topping

One thing I love is cinnamon! It makes everything better. Toast, muffins, apple pie, or any apple, ok really anything! I could go on an on, but I think you get it. Yes, I love cinnamon. Luckily the hubby loves it almost as much as I do. If he didn't, I might be telling stories about the ex-husband. Just kidding. Love you bunches honey!

We are snowed in today so I needed something to do. Don't make fun of us. We live in the south and don't drive in the snow, even if it's just an inch or two. It's our reality and I'm fine with it. I bought a few bags of cinnamon chips over the holidays and have been dying to make something with them. I couldn't find a good recipe online, so I just thought I should try to alter my blueberry muffin recipe since it was so yummy. Well, I created another masterpiece! That's right, I'm bragging. These are some mighty fine muffins, especially hot out of the oven. Let's get to baking....

Ingredients for muffins:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash salt
2 cups cinnamon chips

Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cold butter

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cinnamon chips.

The batter looks and tates yummy!

For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I like to grate the cold butter, it's easier to incorporate.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full or just grease your muffin tins with cooking spray. I went without cups this time and they were perfect. Sprinkle a rounded teaspoonful of the topping over each muffin.



After I spooned the topping on I sprinkled a little cinnamon on each. More couldn't hurt, right??



Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean. I cooked mine for about 22 minutes so start checking after 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  If you can wait 5 minutes. I couldn't and burned the roof of my mouth a little....but it was worth it!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I made mini bundt cakes this time, but I usually make one large one. Cute, right?

I just realized that in one of my first blogs I was bragging about the best pound cake recipe and promised to give it to you later and I never did. So sorry about that. Do you want to guess where I got the best pound cake recipe in the world from??? You probably guessed it right.....my Daddy.  Where else would I get it? He’s the best baker I know.  I’ve tried pound cakes with butter flavoring, sour cream, but Daddy’s pound cake with cream cheese is seriously the best pound cake you’ll ever taste! It is perfectly sweet and moist with the perfect outside crust. Make this one and you can toss your other recipes. I did. Since I realized I hadn’t blogged about this recipe yet, it gave me the perfect excuse to make a pound cake and cupcakes! I’m always looking for a reason to make or eat a cupcake! They really are the best little perfect size treats, aren’t they? Your little individual cake or piece of heaven as I like to think. I could go on and on, but I’ll give you the recipe first. Cupcakes are great, but make them out of pound cake and they are over the top delish! Here’s what you need to make the best pound cake:

Ingredients:

3 sticks margarine at room temperature (I’ve substituted for butter when it was all I had)

1 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature

6 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups sugar

3 cups sifted flour

pinch salt

Directions:

Cream margarine, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.

This is just the butter, cream cheese and sugar creamed

Add salt and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in flour slowly.

Now I'm just showing off my pretty new blender. This is the final batter. The batter is quite delicious too.

Spoon batter into cupcake tins or a bundt pan. Make sure both are sprayed well. Bake at 325 degrees for 1.5 hours (for one cake).

Fill up the cupcake tins all the way. Pound cake doesn't rise as much as normal cakes and you want full size cupcakes.

This recipe also makes 2 dozen of the best cupcakes ever! If you are cooking cupcakes, bake for 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

If you made cupcakes, like I did, you'll want to ice those babies. This is a delicious and easy chocolate icing recipe. The Pioneer Woman taught me how to make this. She and I have such fun cooking together. Okay, here's what you need to make the icing.

Ingredients for icing:

• 2 sticks Butter, Softened
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar
• 3/4 cups Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 cup Heavy Cream (more To Taste)

The icing batter was yummy too. I love batter!

Directions:

  In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until totally soft and smooth. Sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt, then add gradually to the mixer, scraping the sides as you go. (When combined, mixture will be very thick/crumbly.) Drizzle in cream and whip on high until smooth, scraping the sides as you go.

Now ice those yummy treats and make them even yummier!

Don't they look beautiful??

How ever you choose to use this pound cake recipe, you'll be pleased. It makes a beautiful large pound cake. I like to use a bundt pan, or it makes awesome cupcakes.  Eat up and enjoy!

Update: David want a little glaze on his personal bundt cake. Turned out pretty, right?

Super Cute and Easy Easter Cupcakes

We had an 80's Game Night Party (80's Scene It - super fun) so I decided to make some cute cupcakes. What better party food than a cupcake?? As you'll find out about me, I LOVE me some cupcakes!

I have the best pound cake recipe in the world (stolen from my dad - cream cheese poundcake - delish!) so I decided to make those into cupcakes, throw on some cream cheese icing, color it in fun Easter colors and top with Peeps and here's the result. Cute, right?? How do you make a cupcake even better......throw on a Peep!