INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup buttermilk
½ cup canola oil
1 large egg
2 tsp. red food coloring
1¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. coarse salt
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. cold butter, diced
PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together œ cup sugar, the buttermilk, canola oil, egg and food coloring. Add 1Œ cups flour, the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and whisk gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Set batter aside.
• In another bowl, mix the cream cheese, Œ cup sugar and vanilla extract together until combined.
• Pour 2/3 cup batter into each muffin cup. Add a small dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each batter-filled cup and use a toothpick to swirl the cream cheese a little. Set aside.
• In another bowl, cut the butter together with the remaining Œ cup sugar and remaining Œ cup flour until the mixture is crumbly and the butter forms pea-sized pieces. Divide the crumb mixture evenly over the tops of the muffins.
• Bake 17 to 19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs. Let cool completely before serving.
This article appears in May 2015.