No matter advanced you get as a baker, there is something so special and comforting about coming back to the basics. In my case, that was a craving for muffins. They were probably the first thing I ever baked on my own as a teenager, and the genesis for my now decades-long baking obsession. But these aren’t just any basic-bish muffin… they are Passionfruit Crumble Muffins!

The kind you’d be thrilled to spot in a café cabinet… except they’re super simple (and definitely worth it) to make at home. These muffins are a slight tweak on my favourite easy loaf cake recipe. It’s the perfect texture for a muffin. Light and tender, but with enough structure to stand up to generous mix-ins.

There’s also a crunchy crumble topping. If you’re new here, hi, I have a bit of an obsession with putting crumble on absolutely everything in sight. These muffins also get homemade passionfruit curd both inside AND dolloped on top, because if we’re making muffins, they are gonna have a great amount of flavour.

My passionfruit curd recipe is really easy and just takes just a few ingredients and a little bit of whisking. You can also use canned passionfruit pulp if fresh aren’t in season where you are.

I love these Passionfruit Crumble Muffins as an easy weekend baking project, for when you want something a little bit special without having to commit to a time consuming or complicated recipe. And the muffin mixture is all made in one bowl, which we love! If you’ve already got a jar of passionfruit curd on hand (either homemade or store-bought) then they are really quick to make. Perfect for brunch, a lunchbox treat or afternoon tea.

How to adapt these Passionfruit Crumble Muffins

• Use sour cream instead of Greek yoghurt. I’ve made this recipe heaps of times as a loaf cake with sour cream. This time I only had yoghurt in the fridge and substituted 1:1. It gave the muffins a great texture. So the good news is, which ever one you have on hand will definitely work in this recipe!
• Try a different flavoured curd. You can absolutely change up the flavour of these muffins! I think lemon curd would be absolutely delicious here. Blood orange curd is also a great option. But you can honestly use any flavour you like! I personally love how the tart sweetness of the passionfruit curd balances against the buttery crumble topping.
• Swap the curd for jam. Again, any flavour of homemade or store-bought jam will work here! Get creative. Blueberry or rhubarb jam would be delish.
• Level up the crumble! Add some chopped pistachios or flaked almonds to the crumble for extra flavour and crunch. 
• Make them snack size. I made 8 jumbo cafe style muffins but you could definitely bake them in smaller liners, making them the perfect size for a snack or kids lunchbox.

A little tip: don’t overfill your muffin cases. Leave a bit of room for the crumble and the curd on top so everything has space to do its thing in the oven. When you dollop in the curd, only swirl it very gently with the blade of a knife, if at all. And if you want that bakery-style finish, be generous with the crumble. It creates those beautiful crunchy clusters!

I would say another big dollop of curd on top is pretty much non-negotiable. It looks so pretty and makes the muffins so delicious. However, if you want to store these in an air-tight container at room temperature, add the curd just before you serve them. Otherwise they can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Happy baking!

Related Post: Banana Biscoff Cheesecake Muffins

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Passionfruit Crumble Muffins

These bakery style Passionfruit Crumble Muffins are soft, buttery and topped with crunchy crumble and homemade passionfruit curd. Simple, delicious and easy to make.

Course Afternoon Tea, Breakfast, Muffins & Cupcakes, Snack

Keyword Afternoon Tea, Cake, Crumble, Muffins

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 8 large muffins

Ingredients

Muffins

• 110 g butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup caster sugar (120g)
• 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt, or sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour (250g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 lemon

Crumble Topping

• 50 g sugar (1/4 cup)
• 50 g brown sugar (1/4 cup)
• 50 g plain flour (1/3 cup)
• 55 g butter, softened

Passionfruit Curd

• 1 jar storebought or homemade passionfruit curd

Instructions

1. First make passionfruit curd according to the instructions in the recipe linked above.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan forced (350°F). Line a muffin tin with 8-12 muffin liners (depending on size).
3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the Greek yoghurt and beat until combined. Add the eggs and mix in one at a time until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest and beat until combined, being careful not to overmix.

4. To make the crumble topping, combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour and butter. Rub butter into the mixture with your fingertips until a crumble forms.

5. Spoon a 2-3 heaped tablespoons of the mixture into each muffin liner. Add a teaspoon of passionfruit curd and then another 1-2 tablespoons of muffin mixture on top to cover. You can very gently swirl the passionfruit curd into the muffin mix if you like, but don’t overmix.

6. Top with crumble evenly among the muffins. Bake for 25-35 minutes (for large muffins), checking at the half way point and rotating the tray. If your muffins are smaller, check them at the 15-20 minute mark. They are ready when golden brown, risen and a skewer inserted into the middle (not the curd) comes out with a few crumbs.
7. Allow to cool and then top with another generous dollop of passionfruit curd to serve.