About the recipe
It had been a while since I felt truly satisfied by a new bake — many recipes were either too fussy or the results fell short. Determined to find something simple and reliable, I tested a fresh combination and it worked beautifully. These are soft vanilla muffins with a jammy centre and a crunchy streusel topping — straightforward to make and consistently delicious.
I call them Jammy Muffins with Streusel. Once you start adding streusel to your bakes you’ll see how much it elevates texture and flavour. I used seedless raspberry jam because it’s what my family prefers, but you can swap in tangy blueberry jam, marmalade or any favourite flavour to change the profile.
Jammy Muffins with streusel
Ingredients
4 oz Cold Butter Chopped into tiny cubes
2 oz Demerara Sugar- 1.5 oz Plain Flour
Streusel
- 10 oz Plain Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1.5 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1 Pinch Salt
- 4 oz Cold Butter
- 4 oz Caster Sugar
- 2 lge Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 8 fl oz Milk or cream I use Full Fat Milk
- 12 tsp Jam Whatever flavour you prefer
Muffins
Instructions
-
Make the streusel first: mix the cold butter, flour and sugar, then cut the mixture with a knife until it forms small lumps. Chill in the freezer while you prepare the muffin batter.
-
Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
-
In a mixer, beat the caster sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
-
Add the eggs and vanilla extract, one egg at a time, mixing well between additions.
-
Alternate adding the milk (or cream) and the dry ingredients, folding until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
-
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin case to form a base layer.
-
Place 1 teaspoon of jam in the centre of each batter-filled case.
-
Top the jam with the remaining batter, distributing it evenly so the jam stays sealed inside.
-
Retrieve the chilled streusel and sprinkle a generous amount over each muffin.
-
Bake for 16–18 minutes, until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted into the muffin (avoiding the jam) comes out clean.
-
These are fantastic warm. For best texture, enjoy them the same day or the following morning.
What is Streusel?
Streusel is a crisp, buttery topping that adds crunch and contrast to soft cakes and muffins. It’s made from a simple blend of butter, flour and sugar that bakes into crunchy clusters. This streusel recipe is very adaptable — you can increase or decrease the quantity depending on how crunchy you want the topping to be.
How long can streusel last for?
Streusel is best eaten the same day it’s baked or the following day at the latest. After that it will begin to soften, but it will still be tasty added to other bakes or enjoyed on the day it’s made.
Other ways to use streusel:
Try it on loaf cakes or fruit-filled bakes to add a crisp finish and extra flavour. It’s also excellent on bundt cakes or muffins where you want a crunchy contrast to a soft crumb.
