Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping

Makes 12

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1 green apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

Streusel topping
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 TBSP light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift flour and baking powder in to a small bowl. Fold flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with milk. Fold in apple. Spoon mixture into prepared liners to two-thirds full.

To make streusel topping, whisk together flour, sugar and cinnamon. Using fingertips, rub in butter. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle topping evenly over cupcakes.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center of a cupcake tests clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer muffins to wire rack to cool completely.

"Cupcakes & Muffins" Published by Weldon Owen, 2011.