Coffee Cake Muffins

When the husband and his co-workers moved to a new office, I donned my apron and busted out the ol' muffin tins.  I figured every workplace needs a taste of Happy Home.


Coffee Cake Muffins
This recipe is adapted from "Sock-It-To-Me Cake" by the Cake Mix Doctor.
Serves: 16

1 package plain yellow cake mix

3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners (or mist with vegetable oil spray and dust with flour.)  Set pan aside.

For the filling/topping, place 2 tablespoons cake mix, the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined.  Set the bowl aside.

Place the remaining cake mix, sour cream, oil, water, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.  Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 more minutes.  The batter should look thick and smooth.

Fill muffin cups about 1/3 of the way full with batter.  Then, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of filling/topping on top of the batter.  Finish filling the muffin cups with the remaining batter.  Then sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of filling/topping.  (Your muffin tins will be verrrrrry full...I like big muffins.)

Bake in preheated oven for about 26 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger.  Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Then, remove muffins from their tin.

Coffee cake muffins are extra delicious warm, but your co-workers will enjoy them any way you serve them.