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Photograph of blueberry and lemon muffins

Sweet Muffins/Loaf - Core Recipe

Light fluffy muffins – one bowl, quick, highly versatile and adaptable to your personal preferences, seasonal ingredients and store cupboard staples. You can whip these up in no time. This wonderful recipe is a blank canvas for your imagination – let it run riot!

Course Breakfast, Morning Coffee, Snack
Cuisine Western
Keyword breakfast, light and fluffy, muffins
Prep Time 10 minutes
Author Susan

Ingredients

Basic Ingredients:

  • 50g unsalted butter

  • 50g caster sugar
  • 90ml milk plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice OR 100ml natural yoghurt

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 egg

  • 125g plain/all-purpose flour

  • ¾ teaspoons baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt 

Additional Ingredients:

  • 100g additional ingredients such as fresh or dried fruit plus ½ teaspoon flour, chocolate, nuts, seeds

  • 1 - 2 teaspoons spice
  • zest of lemon, lime or orange 
  • additional berries, chocolate or nuts for the top

Instructions

Equipment

  1. kitchen scales

  2. measuring spoons and jug

  3. mixing bowl

  4. small mixing bowl

  5. 6 hole muffin tin and paper cases, OR

  6. 1lb loaf tin lined in baking parchment or with a loaf tin liner

  7. ice cream scoop (for muffins, spatula and balloon whisk

Method

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to Fan Oven 200°C /220°C/425°F/Gas 7

  3. Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl in the microwave. Allow to cool a little.

  4. If using fruit: 

    A. chop any large pieces of fruit such as raspberries or blueberries into smaller pieces but this is entirely optional and depends on your taste

    B. Mix the fruit with the flour in a small mixing bowl – this helps them to distribute evenly in the cake mixture.

  5. Add the sugar, milk, lemon juice, vanilla and egg to the butter. It will curdle – that is OK. Mix well with a balloon whisk.

  6. Place a sieve over the mixing bowl and weigh the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt directly into the sieve and sieve into the bowl.

  7. Fold in lightly until roughly 80% mixed in.

  8. Now add any additions, mix to evenly distribute being very careful not to overmix. A few lumps are ok.

  9. Either:

    A. using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter equally between the muffin cases. Scatter over any additional berries, chocolate or nuts on the top of the muffins.  OR

    B. Fill a 1lb lined loaf tin, level the surface and scatter over any additional berries, chocolate or nuts.

  10. Put into the oven on the middle shelf for 5 minutes.

  11. After 5 minutes, turn the oven down to Fan Oven 160°C /180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and cook for a further:

    A. 15 minutes for the muffins, OR

    B. 40 – 50 minutes for the loaf

  12. Remove from the oven when cooked, leave to sit for 5 – 10 minutes and transfer the muffins/loaf to a wire cooling rack.

  13. Eat warm or at room temperature, on their own or with your choice of accompaniments. 

Recipe Notes

Suggested accompaniments:

  • butter
  • honey/maple syrup
  • yoghurt
  • ricotta cheese
  • fresh blueberries
  • banana
  • stewed fruit
  • nuts eg pecan nuts
  • seeds eg pumpkin or sunflower

 

Storage:

These muffins/loaf are best eaten on the day they are made. However, they will store well in an airtight container for 2 -3 days, or in a fridge or 4 – 5 days. If you are storing in the fridge, allow to come to room temperature before eating.

These muffins freeze well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.