Crumb Cake Cupcakes

If you've been with me since the days of yesteryear, you know how I've been wanting to start a lil baking side business.  Since I didn't get into grad school I've once again had the idea cross my mind.  Remember how I struggled to come up with a name?  I found one and as far as I can tell, no one else has it!  Three cheers for that eh?  It's going to be called Sweet Sugar Love.  Now that I have a name, I need the sweets!  So I will be practicing a lot in the coming days.  If you are in Charleston watch out for me, because I am still taking a break from sugar, so that means I will be pawning these sweets on anyone who smiles at me!  Here is my first practice batch, they are light and flaky, almost more of a muffin than cupcake.

Crumb Cake Cupcakes

Recipe from A Baker's Field Guide to Cupcakes, by Dede Wilson

Streusel:

1 stick butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups flour

Mix together the butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until combined. Add in the flour and stir until smooth. Mixture should clump and form crumbs when squeezed between fingertips. Set aside.

Cupcakes:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
optional - 1.5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries or 1.5 cups toasted finely chopped nuts

Preheat to 350. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder and soda, and salt together to aerate and combine, set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy, about 2 min. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Beat in extracts. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addition, allowing each egg to be absorbed before continuing. Add the flour mixture in 4 additions, alternating with the sour cream. Begin and end with the flour mixture, stopping when there are a few streaks of flour. Fold in the fruit or nuts, if using, until just combined.

Divide batter in cupcake wells and place a generous amount of streusel topping on top of each cupcake, using your fingers to compress it into crumbs and scatter evenly. Bake for about 22 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.