Donut Muffins

The original recipe for these muffins called them Cinnamon Butter Puffs. Well, they didn't really puff at all. The original name just sounded really unhealthy. These muffins taste just like cake donuts. I thought they were really good for a muffin pretending to be a donut, or are they donuts pretending to be muffins? Donut muffins makes them sounds as though they are a healthier version of a donut. Kind of like baked potato chips are much better for you than fried. Anyway you look at it they are good for a lazy weekend morning. I only dipped the tops of the muffins in butter and sugar. I have seen these posted other places where the entire muffin is coated in cinnamon-sugar or powdered sugar. I might try making them in mini muffin tins next time and serving them as faux donut holes.

Donut Muffins
adapted from The Breakfast Book

Muffin ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup milk

Topping ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar combined with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins.
Beat the shortening, sugar, and egg in a mixing bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture. Pour in milk and mix until smooth. Fill muffin tins 1/2 to 2/3 full to divide batter evenly between 12 tins. Bake 20 minute or until lightly golden brown.
Have topping ready when muffins come out of the oven. Place melted butter in a small bowl. In a shallow bowl or deep plate place cinnamon sugar mixture. Immediately remove muffins from pan when they are done. Dip one by one in melted butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve.