Butter Pecan Muffins

My favorite cake recipe is Pecan Pie Cake, but it is a lot of trouble to make. I wanted something easier, but just as tasty to take to the office for Monday morning breakfast. Our billing person, Poppy, seems to appreciate a little nosh when she comes into the office to pick up our billing records for the week.

I adopted the concept of the cake for the outer pecan-coated crust of the muffin. This is my favorite part of the cake.



Generously butter the cups of two large-cup muffin tins with melted butter. Then coat with pecan bits until the sides and bottoms of the cups have a layer of pecan goodness.





In the mixer bowl, combine self-rising flour, chopped pecans, and brown sugar. Stir to mix.



In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients: eggs, milk, melted butter and plenty of good vanilla.




Mix until the dry and wet ingredients just combine. If you mix too much, the muffins will get tough.



Fill the muffin tin cups about 2/3 full and place in a preheated 4oo degree oven for twenty minutes. Try not to disturb the pecan coating on the sides of the tins.




When the muffins are baked and a toothpick comes out clean, invert the pans over a cooling rack. They smell great!




Just look at the pecan coating! It is just perfectly browned and a little crispy.




They are ready to eat plain, or with a little honey or maple butter.




Phillip and I had one straight from the oven. They are delicious, warm. The next morning at work, no one turned them down!

Ingredients
3 C. self-rising flour
1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. brown sugar
2 egg
1 1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Combine flour, pecans and brown sugar in a mixing bowl; set aside. Mix together egg, milk, butter and vanilla; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pan, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 12 muffins extra large muffins