Cardamom Coffee Cake Muffins are deliciously moist muffins inspired by the famous Moosewood Cookbook Cardamom Coffee Cake!
Cardamom Coffee Cake inspired these muffins
It’s from the original Moosewood Cookbook, written by Mollie Katzen in 1977. The hand lettering and hand drawn illustrations make it seem downright quaint next to today’s flashy publications, but the humble collection of vegetarian recipes became one of the top ten best selling cookbooks of all time and was one of the first cookbooks I ever owned. The other day while I was trying to think of something to make for breakfast, a little light bulb went off in my head…why not halve the recipe and make cardamom coffee cake muffins?!
cardamom is the defining ingredient in this recipe
Just look at that golden crumb. The aromatic taste of cardamom lingers on the taste buds and that little layer of streusel explodes with flavor when you bite into it. I was surprised to read that cardamom, which is native to India, is the third most expensive spice in the world, following saffron and vanilla. You can grind it fresh from the pods or buy it already ground. I’ve used it in both sweet and savory dishes and it’s a regular ingredient in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Nordic cuisine, so it’s worth having around.
what you’ll need
- butter
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- flour
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- ground cardamom
- cinnamon
- sour cream
- walnuts
Notes for baking cardamom coffee cake muffins
- This batter is thick, so when you put the first scoop into the muffin cup, be sure to gently spread it out to more or less cover the bottom so the first layer of streusel doesn’t fall down and make it difficult to remove the muffin after it’s baked. Or you can just use paper liners.
- Make sure your walnuts are finely chopped so the streusel isn’t too heavy. I used my trusty small food processor.
- You could leave out the cardamom and use all cinnamon, but don’t. The unique floral flavor of the cardamom is what makes these muffins stand out from the pack.
“Cardamom has been calling to me and I am so happy I found your recipe! It was easy to follow and I like how all the ingredients are likely to be in the pantry, I was able to make it with what I had on hand. Definitely saving this new favorite recipe and making these again. I’m not ashamed to say I scarfed down three of these before bed time. Thanks for sharing!” ~ Kate
more baking with cardamom
- Buckwheat Cardamom Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cardamom Cruffins
- Orange Cardamom Crumb Cake
- Lingonberry Jam Tart with Cardamom
- Honeycrisp Apple Cardamom Cake
- Swedish Cardamom Buns (kardemummabullar)
Cardamom Coffee Cake Muffins
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin pan
- muffins liners (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 Tbs cardamom
- 1 cup sour cream or buttermilk, I used 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup buttermilk
for the streusel
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray, or use muffin liners.
- Mix the streusel in a small bowl and set aside. Make sure your walnuts are finely chopped, and that you get the lumps of brown sugar broken down.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom in another small bowl and set aside.
- Measure out the sour cream or buttermilk, or mix the two if you are using both, and set aside.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla.
- Fold the flour into the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the sour cream/buttermilk. Just stir enough to blend, don’t beat or over mix.
- Spoon a small scoop of batter into the bottom of 12 muffin cups. Top with a teaspoon or so of streusel mix. Scoop the remaining batter on top and then top with another teaspoon of streusel, use up all the streusel.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pan to a rack.
There were great! I can’t bear the thought of all of that butter, so I swapped out 1/2 of it for applesauce. Also, used all buttermilk and no sour cream.
Wow!!! These muffins look incredibly delicious!!! Love cardamom 🙂
i LOVE that swirl of streusel! after cinnamon, cardamom is probably my favorite spice. nice. 🙂
I’ve never tried that coffee cake but I’m such a huge fan of that cookbook. These look delicious!
I don’t have that cookbook, Sue, but the recipe is sure familiar! But I usually make it in bundt cake form. The cardamom in this is perfect.
Happy Easter!
These really do look like the perfect muffins! And that middle streusel layer is incredibly inviting. Yum!
I remember that cookbook! I loved it when it first came out and I know I have a copy of it still packed in a box.. might be worth going through a few boxes just to find it.
You picked a wonderful recipe!
These look absolutely scrumptious and I can’t wait to try it. THe flavors sound perfect.
These do sound fantastic. I make a lot of muffins and it’s always nice to venture into new territory. And I am a sucker for anything with cardamom!
I love coffee cake and coffee in muffin size is just the right amount. These look so moist and delicious. I don’t have any cardamon in my cupboard and now I guess I will have to buy a jar the next time I go to the store.