Mimi's Cafe Buttermilk Spice Muffins

Muffin Batter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk

Nut Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer. When thoroughly mixed, add eggs and beat one more minute.

Sift the flour into a separate bowl together with the baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Add flour and buttermilk to the first mixture. Mix at low speed until smooth. To avoid lumps in the batter, add the wet and dry ingredients alternately, in small amounts.

For the Nut Topping, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. The nuts should be finely chopped.

Grease muffin tins with additional butter or margarine. You can also use paper baking cups. Fill each cup 3/4 full of batter. Add a full rounded tablespoon of nut topping on top of the batter in each cup. Bake immediately or the topping will sink to the bottom of the muffin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. A wooden pick inserted in the middle of the muffin should come out dry.

Yields 12 standard-size muffins, or six jumbo muffins.

If using jumbo muffin pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees F and increase the baking time 5 to 10 minutes.