Espresso-Walnut Coffee Cake

I love coffee, and I love cakes. Well, then it should make perfect sense that I love coffee cakes too! And I do, it's definitely one of my favorite ways to start out the day. Usually, coffee cake doesn't actually have coffee in it. It's often served with coffee, which is my guess why it's called the name it is. But you can imagine my excitement when my friend Betty introduced me to this recipe back in 2002. We first made it together, and I was so thrilled with the outcome, I continued to make it again and again. To those who give me credit for this coffee cake, I'm sorry, but you've all been mistaken. First, thank Cooking Light. Then, thank Betty for finding the recipe and introducing it to me.

Espresso-Walnut Coffee Cake
adapted from Cooking Light, August 2001 issue

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon instant espresso and 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, divided
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray, dust with 2 teaspoons flour, and line each cup with 4" long strips of parchment paper.
3. Combine brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon espresso granules in a small bowl.
4. Cream together butter and granulated sugar. Stir in yogurt, vanilla, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add flour and 2 teaspoons espresso powder, stirring just until blended.
6. Spoon half of the batter into the muffin cups, and sprinkle with half of the brown sugar mixture. Carefully spoon remaining batter over brown sugar mixture, and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack.