Banana and lemon muffins

This is 12th banana muffins recipe. This time with lemon. My children like them a lot. The cake was soft, spongy sweet thanks to bananas with lovely lemon fragrance. The recipe comes from 'Let's cook. 52 cakes, bakes and chocolate.'

Ingredients for 7-11 muffins:

• 70g banana chips + 11 whole ones for decoration
• 140g flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 5 tbsp milk
• 1 egg
• 50 ml oil
• 3 ripe bananas

Chop the banana chips and place them in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and freshly grated lemon zest. Combine them together and set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

In separate jug whisk the egg. Add the oil and milk and combine them together. Set aside.

With a for or potato masher mash the bananas. Stir in one tablespoon of lemon juice. 

Pour the wet ingredients and the bananas into a bowl with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Spoon the batter into paper cases, 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and gold. Keep them in muffin for a few minutes then transfer to the wire rack. While they cooling down prepare the icing.

Ingredients for icing:

• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Place the icing sugar in a bowl add one tablespoon of lemon juice and stir well. If the mixture is too thick add additional tablespoon of lemon juice and stir again.

When the muffins are cooled down spoon the icing over each muffin top and decorate them with hole banana chips.

 

 Enjoy !

Aloha muffins

The Aloha muffins have the flavor of summer. Packed with coconut, orange, pineapple remind about exotic holidays, sun... They are easy to make so everybody can have their exotic taste in home. The recipe come form 'Muffin sampler' by Jan Siegrist.

Ingredients for 12-14 muffins:

• 280g flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp soda 
• 1 egg
• 200ml orange juice
• 70g honey
• 1 tbsp grated orange peel
• 50ml sunflower oil
• 50g dessicated coconut
• 150g or 6 slices crushed pineapple

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Place the pineapple in blender bowl and blend it until crushed.

In a big bowl combine the flout, baking powder, soda. In separate bowl whisk the egg, add orange juice, honey, orange peel, oil, coconut and pineapple. Combine the wet ingredients together. 

Pour the wet ingredients mixture into a bowl with dry ones. Stir until just moist. 

Fill muffin cases about 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. When ready transfer to the wire rack and enjoy !

Muffins with coconut Princessa wafer and white chocolate

Those muffins are one of my favourites. I like coconut very much, the coconut smell is just divine. As usually they are very easy to make. This time I added not only dessicated coconut but coconut wafer bar called Princessa as well. This time I was inspired by the recipe form this blog.  

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 270g flour
• 3 coconut Princessa wafer 44g each
• 130g sugar
• 100g white chocolate
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 250 ml milk
• 100 ml oil
• 1 egg
• 12 tsp dessicated coconut

First dice the wafers into small cubes, set aside. Grate the white chocolate into small shavings, set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Into a big bowl sift the flour, baking powder and sugar. Stir them together. Then add the wafer cubes and chocolate shavings and stir them in.

Break the egg into a small bowl and whisk it with a fork. Add the milk and oil and stir well. Pour the wet ingredients mixture into dry ingredients. Stir all ingredients with a spoon until just combined.

Spoon the batter into paper cases, 3/4 full. Then put one tea spoon of dessicated coconut on top of each muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes, until well risen and golden on the top. Enjoy !

Chocolate sour cream muffins with white chocolate

Chocolate sour cream muffins are very rich, dark, chocolaty  with white chocolate spots. This is the mixture of moist and slightly bitter cake with soft, melting pieces of sweet white chocolate. If you like this combination of flavours you will find those muffins delicious. The recipe comes from this website. Those muffin are in a way similar to the double chocolate muffins  which I baked some time ago.

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 225g plain flour
• 55g cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 115g brown sugar
• 150g chopped white chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 200 ml sour cream
• 100ml milk
• 6 tbsp oil

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Chop the chocolate into a chunks and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt into a big bowl. Whisk all ingredients together. Add the sugar and whisk everything again. Then add the white chocolate chunks.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs add the sour cream, oil and combine all ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients mixture and stir in. If the batter is too thick add the milk. 

Spoon the batter into paper cases, 3/4 full. Bake 25-30 minutes. They are very tasty warm. Enjoy !

All-bran muffins

This is very easy to make recipe and it comes from Kellogg's website.  These muffins were approved by my children and their friends, so I think they might be good option for lunch boxes. Muffins were not only tasty for children but adults liked them, as well. Warm they were fluffy, cold they became a little bit thick but it did not affected their taste. Muffins were sweet and moisture. I think the best option is to give them a try. 

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 185g flour
• 110g brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 160g All-bran Kellogg's cereal or similar
• 310 ml milk
• 2 egg whites
• 60 ml sunflower oil

Muffin batter before baking

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

 

Sift All-bran Kellogg's cereal and pour the milk, let them soak for 2 min.

 

In a meantime sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into big bowl and whisk all ingredients together. 

Add the egg whites and oil to the cereal mixture and stir well. Sift dry ingredients into this mixture and combine the together. Spoon the batter into paper cases. Fill the evenly, muffins do not rise a lot. Bake them for 20 min. Check with wooden toothpick if batter is baked inside. These muffins are very good warm. Enjoy !

 

Wholewheat honey muffins with walnuts

I wanted to bake something for breakfast. Muffins which can be eaten as bread rolls, sliced, spread with butter, jam or honey. Some kind of healthy muffins or at least healthier than usual sweet muffins. When I found this recipe I decided to try it immediately. They were tasty a little bit dry but not too dry, perfect with cup of tea or coffee.

Ingredients for 8 muffins:

• 225g whole-wheat or wholegrain flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 175 ml milk
• 75 ml honey
• 50 ml sunflower oil
• 50g chopped walnuts + 8 halves 

Chop the walnuts an set aside.

Preheat oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt into big bowl. Whisk all ingredients together and make well in the middle.

In separate bowl whisk the egg, pour milk, honey, oil and whisk them together. Add  walnuts. Pour the wet ingredients mixture into bowl with dry ingredients. Stir them together. Do not over stir. Spoon the batter into muffin cases, place walnuts on top of each muffin. Bake for 20min. Enjoy :)

Banana muffins with sunflower seeds

These are easy to make, tasty breakfast muffins. Recipe comes from this web site.

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 120g wholegrain flour
• 120g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 100g brown sugar
• handful sunflower seeds + some to sprinkle
• handful raisins
• 100 ml sunflower oil
• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. This time I used free standing paper muffin cases.

Sift the flours, sugar, baking powder, sunflower seeds and raisins into big bowl and mix them together. Mash the bananas. Whisk the eggs in separate bowl, add the oil  and milk. Pour wet ingredients and bananas into dry ingredients. Combine all ingredients together. Spoon the batter into muffin cases, sprinkle each muffin with sunflower seeds. Bake for 25 min. Cool down on wire rack. Enjoy :)

 

Autumn muffins with spelt flour, apples, almonds and cinnamon

I baked muffins with spelt flour, apples, almonds and cinnamon today. It was another Nigella's recipe from her  'Kitchen' cookbook. I called them autumn muffins as combination of apples, almonds and cinnamon always reminds me about fall. When I was taking them out from the oven my house was immediately filled with cinnamon and baked apple fragrance. These muffins are very good both warm and cooled. Author of this recipe claims that they are very good next day too. I have to believe her and leave some till tomorrow. They are are soft, fluffy ... with lovely scent. And the spelt flour is a good excuse for anybody with sweet tooth :).

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 2 eating apples
• 250g spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 125g brown sugar
• 100 ml honey
• 60ml natural yogurt
• 125ml sunflower oil
• 2 eggs
• 40g natural almonds (I used almond flakes)

For topping:

• 1tsp cinnamon
• 20g natural almonds (I used almond flakes)
• 4 tsp brown sugar

Peel and core the apples, and chop into small dice. If you use natural almonds chop them on smaller pieces. Put them on a side.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Put the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl and whisk them together.

In separate bowl put the sugar, honey, yogurt, oil and eggs and whisk them together. 

Add prepared earlier apples and almonds to dry ingredients. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients as well. Combine them together but do not over stir them. Spoon the batter into the paper cases, these muffins do not rise high so you can fill paper cases up to the edge. Sprinkle each muffin with prepared earlier almond, cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake for 20 min. Cool down on a wire rack.

Oat muffins with cornflakes and dried fruits

This recipe comes from 'Kids's cookbook'. Muffins are sweet with crunchy top. They are a little bit crumbly as they have a lot of ingredients inside. I think those who really love dried fruits will enjoy them very much.

Ingredients for 15 muffins:

• 100g porridge oats
• 300 ml milk
• 1 egg
• 125 ml sunflower oil
• 175g brown sugar
• 50g cornflakes
• 150g raisins*
• 95g chopped dried apricots*
• 150g plain flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

* these fruits may be swapped with different dried fruits : cranberry, dates or partly with chocolate chips

Mix the oats and milk and leave them for 15 minutes to soak. Chop the apricots, there are chopped one available in shops.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. 

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into bowl and whisk them together.

Beat the egg into oat mixture and whisk. Pour oil into the same mixture and whisk.

Fold in fruits into the flour. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients mixture and combine them. At last fold in the cornflakes. Spoon the batter in to paper cases. Bake for 20-25 min. Check with toothpick if batter is baked in the middle. Leave for a while in baking tin to cool dawn, remove and place on wire rack to cool down completely. 

Healthy muffins with pineapple and carrot

There was half tin of pineapple in my fridge since I baked ham and pineapple muffins. I did not have an idea how to use it till I found this recipe. These muffins are just great. Soft, spongy, moist but not too moist. Just perfect. I do not have to mention that they are another way to offer some vegetables and wholegrain flour to a children. At least my girls ate them with pleasure even though they do not eat all kinds of those muffins which are healthier than usual ones. 

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 100g plain flour
• 80g whole-wheat flour
• 90g brown sugar
• 2 tbsp wheat germ
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 80 ml sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 medium or 170g tiny grated carrots
• 4 slices or 125g chopped canned pineapple

Wash, peel of and grate carrot. Drain pineapple and chop into small pieces.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Sift in the one bowl the flours, sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, salt and whisk together.

Pour oil in a measuring jug, add eggs and vanilla and whisk them with a fork. Pour this mixture into dry ingredients. Combine everything together. Fold in carrots and pineapple. With a spoon put evenly batter into muffin cases. Bake for 30 min. Check with toothpick if  baked  in the middle. Place on wire rack to cool down.

Chocolate chip mini muffins

It was raining all day yesterday. The rain was so heavy that it was hard to leave the house. I had to keep my almost 5 year old occupied. So I reached for, I think classic, Nigella's chocolate chip muffin recipe from this web site.  Those muffins are extremely easy to make and their flavour is divine.  I had to reduce the amount of ingredients I used, in half. First of all I did not have enough chocolate chips in a cupboard and secondly we really should not eat so much muffins ;). I baked them in mini muffin tin and instead 6 big ones I had 18 mini muffins. I do not have to mention that there are no leftovers.

Ingredients for 18 mini muffins:

• 140g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 80g caster sugar
• 100g chocolate chips
• 150 ml milk
• 60 ml sunflower oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla paste

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease mini muffin tin.

In a big bowl sift the flour, baking powder, soda, cocoa, sugar and chocolate chips mix them together.

In a measuring jug pour the milk, oil and egg. With fork whisk them together, add vanilla. Pout this mixture into already prepared dry ingredients mixture. Combine all ingredients. Spoon the batter into muffin tin. Bake 15-20 min. Check with toothpick if batter is baked in the middle. Place on wire rack to cool down.

Enjoy !

Carrot, courgette and raisins muffins

Sometimes my daughter doesn't want to eat veggies. To make her eat dinner I have to promise a sweet treat after. Today I prepared for her carrot, courgette and raisins muffin. I wonder if she will like them. I found this recipe on CBeebies. 

Ingredients for 6 muffins:

• 20g grated courgette
• 20g grated carrot
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 75g plain flour
• 15g light soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper cases. As all holes will not be taken you may put a few drops of water into one which stay empty. This will make muffins more moisture. 

Into one bowl put the courgette, carrot, beaten egg, milk, raisins and sunflower oil. In separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Spoon batter into muffin cases. Bake 12-15 min. Let them cool down for a while in baking tin. Enjoy !  

Cream cheese and peach muffin

It happened that I had soft cream cheese in my fridge. This cheese was sitting there for a while so I browsed Internet and found recipe for muffins with cream cheese. These muffins taste is interesting, almost like small cheesecakes.

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 150g flour
• 70g caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 50 ml sunflower oil
• 100 ml milk

 Cream cheese filling:

•  150g cream cheese 
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla sugar

Fruits:

• 4 halves of tinned peaches

Icing sugar for dusting

Heat up the oven to 180C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

In one bowl sift dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, salt and add the sugar. In a separate bowl whisk the milk, egg  and oil. Leave them on a side.

Prepare cream cheese filling. Put the cream cheese, egg, sugar into bowl and mix it well.

Slice or dice peaches. 

Go back to batter ingredients. Combine dry and wet ingredients together and spoon evenly ready cake mixture into paper cases. Then on a top spoon the cheese mixture and decorate with fruits. Bake for 20-30min.

Cool them on a wire rack dust with icing sugar. Enjoy :)

Double Chocolate muffins

I was in a mood for something chocolaty and couldn't made up my mind if it  was white or dark chocolate. So I baked double chocolate muffins - recipe from 'Home baking cookbook'

Ingredients for 12 muffins:

• 200g plain flour
• 25g cocoa powder
• 1tbsp baking powder
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 115g caster sugar
• 185g white chocolate broken into pieces (125g for batter, 60g for decoration)
• 2 eggs
• 100ml sunflower oil
• 225 ml milk

 Preheat the oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with muffin cases. 

Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon together into large bowl. Add sugar and chocolate. 

In separate bowl whisk the eggs and oil until frothy, gradually add milk. Stir the mixture of wet ingredients into dry one until just blended. Spoon the batter into muffin cases 3/4 full. 

Bake for 20 min until well risen and springy in touch. Leave the muffins to cool down a little bit in the tin, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Melt the remaining chocolate in microwave and spread over the tops of muffins.