Lady Cakes

I went outside at daybreak and heard birds singing! Music to my ears after the seemingly endless run of cold and snowy (and silent) weather this winter. A respite is forecast for the weekend with relatively balmy temperatures, maybe even 50 degrees, and plenty of sunshine. Should feel like heaven.

Here are some little cakes I made to have with a cup of tea or coffee. I made these because I wanted an excuse to use my square muffin pan. They are super easy to make and clean up is a breeze--no mixer or food processor needed. They are not too sweet and have a texture somewhere between a scone and a cupcake.

Lady Cakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
6 Tbsp. butter, sliced into pieces, and allowed to come to room temperature
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place oven rack in upper third of oven. Butter and flour muffin pan or use cupcake liners, if desired.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix and cut in the butter until the mixture becomes moist crumbs. Add egg yolk, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk. Beat together, with a wooden spoon or spatula, until well combined.

Crumb Topping
3/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

Combine the flour, sugars, salt and cinnamon. Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are moistened but still crumbly.

Divide the batter evenly among 12 muffin cups and top each with some of the crumb mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.

Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving, if desired.