If there is one consistent message around muffin making out there, it’s to not over mix your muffin batter, lest it be turned into dense little hockey pucks after baking. Over the years, I’ve made hundreds of muffin recipes, and try as I might, no matter how gentle I am in mixing the dry ingredients with the wet, even leaving a few small streaks of flour here and there, I often end up with tough muffins.
Oh sure, they come out all pretty and moist and tender when they’re fresh out of the oven. But try eating one the next day. You need a big pat of butter and a trip to the microwave to make them palatable, and not leaving you feeling like you’re wolfing down a hand grenade in cake form.
Can modern science not solve this? If modern science is listening right now, I have another favour to ask. Can you build me a microwave oven that can soften butter without me checking it every 9 seconds to make sure I don’t end up with a pool of melted butter? Is that possible, anyone? Maybe it’s the winter that’s frustrating me, but converting solid butter to room temperature (softened) butter is one of my pet peeves. And in the winter, even room temperature butter left on the counter is still solid. At least it is in my home. Because I have wine to keep me warm. And thick socks. Who needs heat anyways?
But I digress. I happily landed on this tasty little number, and besides showcasing its wonderful flavours, it also retains its moist and tender crumb the next day.
Place hand on forehead, raise eyebrows, and express the following with drama: “It’s a miracle! A tasty, delightful miracle. A small victory for the happy home maker. Bring me a martini, this calls for a celebration!”
I can bring these to work the day after baking them and not be ashamed to share them with friends. I don’t have to over emphasize their flavour profile in order to compensate for their dense, bullet-like texture. Happy times, I tell you. Even without the martini. Because we’re at work.
I’ve adapted this recipe from a book called The Spice Kitchen, from Sara Engram and Katie Luber. You can omit the sanding sugar sprinkles on top of your muffins, but this adds a nice crunchy topping, and I highly recommend it! This recipe is easy to make, and makes your house smell amazing. No microwaves required. Bonus.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- Sanding sugar mixture:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F, and line 18 muffin cups with paper cases or spray them with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add the chocolate chips and pecans, and mix well.
- Add the flour mixture, and combine gently, just until the mixture comes together.
- Mix the ingredients for the sanding sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Spoon the batter into each of the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the sanding sugar on top of each muffin.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of one of the muffins comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them from the muffin tins. Place on a rack to cool.
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