These little guys have the studly swagger of a broad shouldered movie star in a cashmere cowl neck; assertive in flavor, easy on the eyes, sweet on the inside and softer than they seem. Too often the coffee or chocolate can overpower the walnuts. Adding ground walnuts and walnut oil to the batter makes the muffins moist and pushes the flavor of the walnuts forward. I bake these in a popover pan to give the muffins a little more stature; after all, don’t all movie stars seem taller than they really are?

Walnut Mocha Muffins
 
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These little guys have the studly swagger of a broad shouldered movie star in a cashmere cowl neck; assertive in flavor, easy on the eyes, sweet on the inside and softer than they seem. Too often the coffee or chocolate can overpower the walnuts. Adding ground walnuts and walnut oil to the batter makes the muffins moist and pushes the flavor of the walnuts forward. I bake these in a popover pan to give the muffins a little more stature; after all, don't all movie stars seem taller than they really are?
Recipe type: Cake
Cuisine: American
Serves: 18
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks / 4 oz / 225g unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ cup walnut oil
  • 2 tbsp cocoa
  • 2 tbsp instant coffee
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • 1 tspn baking soda
  • 10 oz / 2 cups cake flour
  • ½ cup finely crushed walnuts
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Streusel:
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 tbsp cocoa
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • Icing:
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp cocoa
  • 1 tsp instant coffee
  • 1 tbsp boiling water
  • 1½ cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375f / 190c
  2. Mix cocoa, coffee and baking soda in a small bowl, pour boiling water into the bowl and set aside to 'bloom'.
  3. Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer.
  4. When pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time.
  5. Add walnut oil and beat until well incorporated.
  6. Sift flour with baking powder, reduce speed of mixer and gradually add flour to batter.
  7. Add crushed walnuts and mocha liquid, continue to beat until batter is well blended.
  8. Make the streusel by combining all dry ingredients into a bowl and then adding butter and mixing by hand until it it becomes crumbly and sandy.
  9. Spoon batter into lined or buttered muffin pans, Half fill each pan, add 1 teaspoon of streusel mix and then add another tablespoon of batter to cover the streusel.
  10. Bake about 20 mins until muffins feel firm on top and slightly browned. (Inserting a skewer to test whether the muffins are done may not work as it will bring some of the streusel mix out with it.)
  11. Cool muffins in the pan for 10 mins and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
  12. Icing:
  13. Soften butter slightly.
  14. Dissolve coffee and cocoa in boiling water.
  15. Add butter and mocha liquid into a mixing bowl, add confectioners sugar a little at a time and whisk to combine.
  16. If the icing is too thick, add a little more water.
  17. Spoon over each muffin.
  18. Decorate with walnut halves and chocolate covered espresso beans.