A Cupcake and Coffee to Go, Please

When ever I want to start out a day by treating myself, I head to a nearby coffee shop for a skim latte and the best looking thing in the bakery case. Usually that’s Wash Perk and an almond scone, or Whole Foods and an almond croissant, both of which are within walking distance from my house. Yes, I am spoiled rotten. And I like it.

When ever I want others to share in my sweet, weekday morning bliss, Claire makes coffee and I make Coffee Cakes. Today they sustained 10 VOC staff and volunteers for over 6 hours while stuffing and preparing year-end reports. Thank goodness for baked goods; we almost died of stiff necked monotony. I find that baked goods for breakfast are the best excuse for starting your day with dessert ;)

Coffee Cakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes, makes 24

Topping
1 ¼ cups unbleached flour
¾ cup brown sugar
2 ¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ cup plus 2 TBS unsalted butter, room temperature
medium sized bowl
wire whisk
pastry blender or 2 butter knives
~
Batter
2 ¼ cups unbleached flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup plus 2 TBS unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup low fat sour cream
medium bowl
large bowl
wire whisk
standing mixer (a hand held will work too but be ready for an arm workout, the batter is heavy)
silicone spatula
regular spoon (the kind you eat cereal with)
~
Glaze
1 ½ cups confectioners/powdered sugar
3 TBS fat free milk
small bowl
wire whisk
silicone spatula
water glass
plastic baggie
scissors

1. Using the ingredients in the Topping section above, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Cut in the butter using a pasty blender (seen below) in a medium bowl. If you don’t have a pastry blender you can use 2 knives to “cut” the butter into small pieces by making an “X” with your knives. I think it’s most efficient if you start with them touching and then pull them apart, using each one to leverage the other. The dry ingredients will automatically stick to the butter pieces, eventually making a crumbly, streusel topping mixture.



3. Refrigerate.
4. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Using the ingredients in the Batter section above, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
7. Cream butter and sugar together on medium-high sped until light and fluffy.
8. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.
9. Add vanilla.
10. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream, just until combined. Batter will be heavy and a bit stiff.
11. Remove topping from refrigerator.
12. Scoop one small spoonful of batter into each muffin cup.



13. Sprinkle topping over batter in each muffin cup and press down, just a tad.
14. Scoop a second small spoonful of batter into each muffin cup.
15. Sprinkle more topping over batter in each muffin cup, the more the better!
16. Place pans in oven for 8 minutes.
17. Rotate pans and bake for an additional 8 minutes.
18. Remove pans from oven and place on wire racks to cool completely.
19. Using ingredients in the glaze section above, whisk sugar and milk together in small bowl until smooth.
20. For quick and easy drizzling, place baggie in glass as seen below by pushing one bottom corner all the way to the bottom and fill with glaze.



21. Remove cakes from pans and return to wire racks, pushing them closely together so that they re touching.
22. Carefully lift baggie out of glass and twist the top closed.
23. Cut a SMALL hole in the baggie.
24. Drizzle glaze over the top of each cake.



Voila, Coffee Cakes! Serve immediately or store in an airtight container. Try heating up for 10 seconds the next day and pairing with warm beverages. Happy baking!