Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Last year, I managed to bake 9 dozen cupcakes in less than a month. This inspired a sort of unofficial mantra, "Every occasion is an occasion to bake." A month later found me singing a slightly different tune while baking 10 dozen cupcakes in one night (this time there was an actual event in need of dessert...), but I'm still great at seizing every opportunity to bust out a muffin tin.

 This week, I decided to opt for a muffin instead of my customary cupcakes. After deciding on cinnamon as the spice of choice, I spotted some green apples and decided to go a traditional route.

To keep the muffins from being too plain, I made a quick brown sugar and cinnamon topping. This slightly caramelized in the oven, giving the final product a sweet, crunchy top.

As for excuses to bake, I decided to whip up this batch of apple cinnamon muffins on Thursday. Flash forward to Friday afternoon, and they've all been given away or eaten. How do I interpret this? Only as another reason to bring out the muffin tin again...

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk
1 cup finely chopped apples

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and melted butter. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until mixed. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, stirring just until mixed (do not over mix). Fold in the apples, then spoon batter into muffin liners. Bake 18-23 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.