Buttermilk Muffin with Cinnamon Sugar

This muffin have a cake-like texture similar to those making donuts, but it was baked instead of fried.

Ingredients for the muffin:
105g  Unsalted Butter
125g  Sugar
1  Large Egg
235g  All-purpose Flour
1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon  Salt
1/2 teaspoon   Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1/2 cup  Buttermilk

Ingredients for the topping:

100g  Sugar

1 tablespoon  Ground Cinnamon

2 tablespoon  Unsalted Butter

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lined 10 standard muffin cups with butter. Fill the unused space in the pan with water to prevent warping.

In a bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, beat until well mixed and smooth.

In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Add to the butter mixture in two increments, alternatively with the buttermilk. Stir just evenly moistened, do not over mix and the batter will look slightly lumpy.

Spoon the batter into each cup to three-fourth full, you may get 9 or 10 muffins, depends on how full you fill. Bake until golden and dry for 20-25 minutes. A toothpick should comes out dry when you inserted into the centre. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack and let cool.

To make the topping, stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl and get ready. By holding the bottom of a muffin, dip the top into the melted butter, turn to coat evenly. Then immediately dip the top into the cinnamon sugar, coating it evenly as well. Then tap off excess sugar, transfer to the rack and let cool. Repeat with the remaining muffin.

Tips
If you do not have buttermilk, you can substitute with 90 ml plain yogurt and 30 ml milk.

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This recipe was retrieved from this book, "Muffin" by William-Sonoma. You can find this book from Amazon or by clicking the following link.

The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Muffins

What is the difference between muffin and cupcakes

Muffins and cupcakes are quite different. People use to think muffin should have a peak top, then you are wrong.
The peak was formed by over mixing the batter, thus gluten was formed to trap the air inside while baking. The best muffin should just combine the dry and wet ingredients, then pan and bake.

Baking measure conversion chart

Volume to weight conversion table

Butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) = 60 g
1/3 cup (80 ml) = 75 g
1/2 cup (125 ml) = 115 g
1 cup (250 ml) = 225 g

Flour (All-purpose & whole wheat)
1/4 cup (60 ml) = 35 g

1/3 cup (80 ml) = 50 g

1/2 cup (125 ml) = 75 g

1 cup (250 ml) = 150 g

Granulated Sugar

1/4 cup (60 ml) = 50 g

1/3 cup (80 ml) = 65 g

1/2 cup (125 ml) = 105 g

1 cup (250 ml) = 210 g

Packed Brown Sugar

1/4 cup (60 ml) = 50 g

1/3 cup (80 ml) = 70 g

1/2 cup (125 ml) = 105 g

1 cup (250 ml) = 210 g