Caramel Apple Buttermilk Muffins

Ingredients for the streusel topping:
1 tablespoon cold butter
⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup finely chopped walnuts

 

Ingredients for the muffins:
½ cup vegetable oil
1-⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2-½ cups all-purpose flour (you may need a bit more, if the batter is too wet)
¼ teaspoon salt
2-½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1-¾ cups coarsely chopped peeled* apple

 

Ingredients for the caramel icing:
2 tablespoon butter
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:
1. In a bowl, combine all the streusel topping ingredients. With your fingers, combine until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. If you don’t have paper liners, butter and flour the muffin tin.
3. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda); set aside. In another bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, and egg. Once combined, stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Gently mix in the apple*. If the batter seems to thin, add a tiny bit more flour. The batter should be fairly stiff. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups filling them right to the top.
5. Divide the streusel topping equally among the muffins.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350˚ F. and bake for an additional 12 minutes. When the muffins are done, they will spring back when lightly pressed. Otherwise, test the muffins by inserting a toothpick. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove them and let cool for 15-20 minutes on a wire rack before drizzling with caramel icing.
7. While muffins are baking, prepare drizzle mixture. Combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a medium size microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir well and return to microwave for 15 seconds.
8. Add vanilla. While stirring, add powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Mixture should drizzle easily, but should not be super ‘runny”. Add a bit more milk or powdered sugar to adjust thickness. Drizzle over cooled muffins.

Notes:
* ~ I like to leave about ½ cup of the apple unpeeled and reserve it. I stick these pieces into the batter after filling the muffin tins. It give the muffins a pretty look.

Found Here