Cantaloupe Muffins with Praline Topping

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• Muffins:
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pureed cantaloupe
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely diced cantaloupe
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 10 jumbo muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Mix pecans, brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and softened butter together in a bowl until mixture is crumbly.

Beat 1 cup white sugar and oil together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat pureed cantaloupe and vanilla extract into sugar mixture.

Whisk 1 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Stir flour mixture into cantaloupe puree mixture; gently fold in cantaloupe chunks and lemon zest. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle pecan mixture over the top of each muffin. Continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 more minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.