Cinnamon and Walnut Muffins

With a crunchy filling...

Cinnamon and walnut muffins

280 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
60 g white sugar
1 egg
150 ml sour cream
180 ml milk
60 ml sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla essence

Filling:
85 g light brown soft sugar
85 g chopped walnuts
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Prepare the filling by combining all the ingredients and keep aside.

In a bowl sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar.

In another bowl, beat the egg with a fork and stir in milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla essence.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined.

Spoon half the batter into the muffin cases. Add half of the filling mixture. Spoon the rest of the batter and top with the filling mixture left.

Bake for 23 minutes in a preheated oven (195C).

Butternut Squash Muffins

Supersoft and moist :-)

Butternut squash muffins

255 g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp each of ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves
150 g white sugar
1 egg
130 ml milk
2 tbsp honey
1/2 butternut squash (~400g)
90 ml sunflower oil

Cut, peel and remove the seeds from the squash and cook in simmering water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain liquid and mash (or puree in a food processor). Ideally you should get ~250g of puree.

In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, all the spices and the sugar.

In another bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add milk, honey, squash and oil and stir well.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry, stirring until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cases and bake in a preheated oven (190C) for 18 minutes.

Orange Muffins

One of my favourite muffins, so spongy!

Orange Muffins

280 g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
100 g white sugar
1 egg
Grated orange rind from 2 oranges
200 ml orange juice
40 ml water
90 ml sunflower oil

For the icing:
4 tbsp orange juice
80 g icing sugar
1/2 tsp grated orange rind

Preheat the oven to 195C and prepare the muffin cases.

Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar) into a bowl.

In another bowl, beat egg with a fork and then add the orange rind, the juice and water (240 ml in total) and the sunflower oil.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir until just mixed.

Spoon into the muffin cases and bake for 23 minutes.

Mix the juice, sugar and orange in rind for the icing and spoon on the muffins while they're still hot.

Leave to cool down on a wire rack.

Buttermilk muffins with a jam heart

This is my first recipe with buttermilk... In a few days I'll also be uploading the results of my first go at Irish soda bread, but for the moment here's the recipe for this surprisingly good muffins!

Jammy buttermilk muffins

280 g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

125 g caster sugar

1 egg

250 ml buttermilk

50 ml water

90 ml sunflower oil

Jam of your choice (I used raspberry)

Preheat the oven to 195C and prepare the muffin tins.

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate, salt and sugar in a large bowl.

In another bowl, beat the egg with a fork and add the buttermilk, water and oil, mixing it all together.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just enough to mix it (don't overstir!).

Spoon half the batter into the tins, then add a dollop of the jam an cover with the rest of the batter.

Bake for 23 minutes.

Chocolate muffins - a classic

I have to admit that these are not my favourite muffins, but it was the only recipe for which I had all the ingredients at home :-)
They're still nice and so easy to make, and there are probably very few people in the world who don't like chocolate muffins!

Choco muffins

255 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
150 g white granulated sugar
4 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 egg
250 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
90 ml sunflower oil

Sift in a bowl the flower, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and cocoa poder.
In another bowl, beat egg and add milk, vanilla and oil.
Pour the wet mix into the flour mix. Stir all together just until combined (it shouldn't be overstirred!).
Fill 12 muffin cups. Bake in the oven for 23 minutes at 185C. I use the fan oven for baking muffins, if you have the top and bottom oven you'll need to increase the temperature 10-15C.