Recipe: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Coffee Cake Bites, Crunchcakes and Muffins

CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH COFFEE CAKE BITES
(muffins or cupcakes)

FOR THE CEREAL STREUSEL:
1/2 cup finely crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

FOR THE CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE VANILLA GLAZE:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE STREUSEL:
In a small mixing bowl toss together the cereal and walnuts. Add cold butter and cut into mixture until a fine crumble forms. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside.

Place softened butter and sugar into a medium mixing bowl and cream together with a hand mixer (on medium speed). Scrape down sides of bowl and add eggs, one at a time. Add sour cream, yogurt and vanilla and mix together.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated.

Lightly grease a mini muffin pan. Scoop batter into a piping bag or large Ziploc bag and fill each muffin hole a third high with the batter and top with a sprinkle of streusel. Pipe more batter over the streusel until about 3/4 full.

Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the bites.

When cool enough to handle, carefully remove each bite from the muffin tin and place upside down onto a cooling rack. Allow bites to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE VANILLA GLAZE:
Place powdered sugar into a small bowl and add milk and vanilla. Gently stir with a fork until smooth. Pour about 1 teaspoon of the glaze over each bite and top with bits of cereal. Serve.

Makes 32
Adapted from source: Spoon Fork Bacon Blog / August 7, 2012

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CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCHCAKES

FOR THE CUPCAKES:
2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, plus more for topping
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups whole milk

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. milk
More Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

Use a food processor (or a plastic bag and a rolling pin) to crunch up a big handful of cereal into small crumbs. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix for about a minute, on medium high, until creamy (be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice, to ensure everything is getting worked in). Then add the milk and flour, alternating between the two ingredients (to avoid lumps) until the batter is smooth and everything is well combined.

Pour in the cereal and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula just until combined. Fill paper-lined cupcake tins until they're 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle a bit of the crunched up cereal on top of the batter.

Bake for about 22-25 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and set (it will bounce back when you gently press your finger into a cupcake). Allow the cupcakes to cool, then make the buttercream.

TO MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM:
Whip up the butter to get it good and creamy. Then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions (to make sure everything is getting mixed up really well). Add the cinnamon and milk and continue to mix until the frosting is fluffy. Give it a taste and add more cinnamon, if you'd like. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk and mix until you get the desired consistency.

Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top with a few pieces of cereal. Enjoy!

Makes about 22-24 cupcakes
Adapted from source: Bakeitinacake.com

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CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH MUFFINS

2 ripe bananas, mashed
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 (6 oz) container Chobani pineapple yogurt (I'm sure vanilla or plain would taste great too)
2 oz fat free unsweetened yogurt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, crushed via food processor, divided use

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line one 12 muffin tray with paper cups and lightly spray with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, stir the bananas, oil, yogurt, egg, and vanilla until mixed well. Next, stir in the sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Next add 1 cup of the crushed cereal.

Divide the batter evenly amongst the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining cereal over the top.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When done take out and place directly on a cookie sheet for cooling.

Makes 12 muffins
Adapted from Little Bitty Bakes
Source: Sweet Phi Blog / Posted on February 1, 2012