Duffins--Donut Muffins

The weather is beautiful!!  Seriously.  70 degrees, cool, breezy.  It smells like fall... you know the smell.  The leaves are about to be changing and I can wear scarves... every day if I want to.  It's such a pretty time of year.  I love it!!  Perfect weather for duffins...
Duffins?!
What the heck are duffins?  Well, they're donut (doughnut?...how do you spell it?) muffins.  Muffins that (are supposed to) taste like donuts.  I heard of these little things over at King Arthur Flour.  I was intrigued when I read the name... I love donuts.  I love muffins.  Together?  I would have to love them.  Plus they got a 5-star rating, so I tried the recipe.
The end result is a heavy, cake-like muffin with a noticeable nutmeg flavor covered in (if you choose) a buttery, cinnamon-y topping that adds a crunch to the otherwise soft muffin.  I had high expectations for these duffins.  I expected them to taste exactly like a donut.  Unfortunately, I set my standards a little high.  They're pretty good, but they don't taste exactly like donuts...more of a hint of donut flavor, so I was slightly disappointed.  Everybody else liked them, they just weren't my cup of tea.  They're pretty easy to make, and they're better for you than actual donuts, so you should try the recipe out!

Donut Muffins
Adapted from : King Arthur's Flour


Ingredients: 

Batter

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 1 cup milk

Topping

• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons Cinnamon-Sugar Plus or cinnamon sugar
• Or:  Donut glaze

Batter

• 2 ounces butter
• 1 3/4 ounces vegetable oil
• 3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 ounces brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 11 1/4 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 8 ounces milk

Topping

• 1 1/2 ounces melted butter
• 1 3/8 ounces Cinnamon-Sugar Plus or cinnamon sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper or silicone muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth.
Add the eggs, beating to combine.
Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.
Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.
Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter for the topping (this is easily done in the microwave).
Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Or simply dip the tops of muffins into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar.
Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Store for a day or so at room temperature. Some of mine got a little burnt... I tried cutting the bottoms off, but they fell apart.  Unfortunately, I just had to eat them.  Darn! :)