The Baker's Daughter

Carrot cake muffins with a maple cream cheese icing

 

I have been craving carrot cake for weeks and finally found the time to make myself some!  These muffins are amazing on their own; super moist with a nice crunchy top, but add the maple cream cheese icing and they are divine.  I have a cold right now and can't remember if you supposed to feed a cold and starve a fever, or feed a fever and starve a cold??  Doesn't matter, I'm eating these muffins regardless of the rule.  This recipe will make about 8 muffins. 

Carrot cake muffins with a maple cream cheese icing

Carrot cake muffins

½ cup butter, softened 

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups carrots, grated

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Maple cream cheese icing

1/4 cup butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and line a standard muffin tin

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Add the vanilla and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the carrots and mix.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl in three separate additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time.  

Drop a 1/4 cup of the carrot cake into a muffin cup. 

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool the muffins on a wire rack.

To make the icing combine the cream cheese and butter in a bowl.  Using a hand or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy.  Add the maple syrup and icing sugar.  Beat on low until the sugar is incorporated and then increase the speed.  Mix for a few minutes until light and fluffy.

Spread over top of the cooled muffins. 

Refrigerate if not eating right away.

 

 

Honey bran muffins with raspberries and almonds

I'm always trying to eat healthier but lets face it, it's hard sometimes.  Making recipes that incorporate fresh, wholesome ingredients is one step in the right direction and these muffins definately hit the spot.  I toasted the almonds which gives the muffins a great deep flavour.  Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries or apples would also be great in this recipe.

Honey bran muffins with raspberries and almonds

1 cup bran

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice or milk

1/2 cup honey

 1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and line a standard muffin tin.

In a bowl combine the dry ingredients; the bran, all-purpose flour, baking powder baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the egg, honey, melted butter, yogurt and orange juice.  

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid.  Stir to combine. 

Add the almonds and raspberries.

Let the batter stand for 10 minutes.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the middle of the muffin springs back when gently pressed.

Lemon currant muffins with raspberry icing

I was at the Kingston market the other day and came across these amazing translucent white currants.  They are really sour but go so well with the sweetness of the muffin and icing.  The lemon flavour of the muffins is so powerful but not overbearing, and every so often you'll get a little zing from the currants.  Red currants would be amazing in these; a bright red in the pale lemony colour of the muffin.  These muffins are great on their own but jazz them up with some raspberry butter cream icing and people will be going crazy.  This recipe will make 12 muffins.

Lemon currant muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup lemon juice

zest of 2 lemons

2 eggs

1/2 cup fresh currants

Raspberry butter cream icing

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and line a 12 cup muffin tin.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder together in a bowl and whisk.

In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Add it to the dry ingredients and stir together.  Add the currants.

Fill the muffin cups with a 1/4 cup of muffin batter. 

Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the muffin comes clean.

Set aside to cool while you make the icing.

To make the raspberry icing you will need a hand or stand mixer.  Mix the butter, vanilla and icing sugar together on medium speed until creamy.  Add the raspberries and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Ice the cooled cupcakes and top with fresh raspberries and currants.

Chocolate-cherry muffins

 

Nothing says summer more than a huge bowl of ripe cherries shining in the sun.  I used fresh pitted cherries in this recipe but frozen cherries will work nicely.  Raspberries would also be good in this recipe.

Chocolate-cherry muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

2/3 cup milk

2 cups cherries pitted

2/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and line a muffin tin.

In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.  Add the oats and blend.  Set aside.

In another bowl, mix the eggs and brown sugar.  Add the melted butter and combine.  In alternating additions, add the flour mixture and milk.  Add the cherries and chocolate chips.  Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. 

Carrot cake muffins with orange-cream cheese filling

  Sometimes the last thing you want to do on a lazy Sunday morning is fiddle around with icing tips, offset spatulas and pastry bags.  These carrot muffins are great because you get the deliciousness of cream cheese icing baked right into the muffin.  I've used raisins soaked in rum but you can skip that step if you want.  This recipe will make one dozen standard size muffins or one 8 inch cake.

Carrot cake muffins with orange-cream cheese filling

Carrot cake

½ cup butter, softened 

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups carrots, grated

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

2 tbsp rum

Cream cheese filling

6 oz cream cheese

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp orange zest

Directions

Soak the raisins in the rum for at least half an hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and line a standard muffin tin (or grease and flour an 8 inch cake pan, if using).

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Add the vanilla and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the carrots and mix.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl in three separate additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time.  Drain the raisins from the rum, and fold them into the mixture along with the pecans.  Set aside while you make the cream cheese filling.

Using a hand or stand mixer combine the cream cheese, orange zest and sugar.  Beat for two minutes on medium high. 

Drop a large tablespoon of the carrot cake into a muffin cup.  Place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture on top and top that with another heaping tablespoon of carrot cake.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool the muffins on a wire rack.

 

Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

 

It has been an amazingly beautiful fall day today.  I spent a few hours outside watching University field hockey games, went for a walk and then came home and made these really yummy muffins.  The muffins are good on their own and would also taste great with some chocolate chips, raisins or with a nice crunch from some walnuts or pecans; but the Maple Cream Cheese Icing is so over the top and so good with these muffins I would definitely suggest giving it a try  I used pepitas to top the muffins with and they give a nice textural crunch.  Pepitas are found inside the hull of the white pumpkin seeds and I bought mine at the bulk barn. 

Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves 

pinch salt

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 

3/4 cup packed brown sugar 

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin 

1/4 cup plain yogurt   

1 cup chocolate chips, or raisins, or chopped walnut/pecans - optional

Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package), softened

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 tbsp maple syrup 

2 cups icing sugar

3 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  

Grease and line a standard muffin tin.   Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Set aside. 

In a bowl whisk the eggs.  Slowly add the melted cooled butter.  Add the brown sugar and vanilla and whisk.  Whisk in the yogurt and pumpkin.    Switching to a spoon, slowly add the flour mixture being careful not to over mix.   

Spoon a scant ¼ cup into each muffin tin and bake for approximately 20 minutes, turning the pan once.  Let cool.

To make the cream cheese icing use a stand mixer or hand held mixer.  Combine the cream cheese and butter together, beating on high for approximately two minutes or until the mixture is creamy and free of lumps.  Add the maple syrup and combine.  Add the icing sugar in 4 additions beating on high in between each addition.  

Spoon a generous amount of cream cheese icing onto each cupcake and smooth out using a palate knife.  Sprinkle the top with pepitas.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

 

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

     

These muffins were inspired by a recipe in Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book, although I think they're closer to a muffin than a cupcake so that's what I'm calling them.  I've made a few changes to the recipe, substituting the buttermilk for heavy cream and adding some cinnamon.  Martha uses blackberries in her recipe but I'm not really a fan of those particular berries, there's just something about the honking seeds that always seem to get so stuck in my teeth.  These muffins look really beautiful studded with the fruit and are really delicious.  Feel free to try other berries, I think raspberries or cranberries would both go really well or you could be like Martha and use the blackberries. 

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 lg eggs

7 tbsp melted butter

1 pint fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Line a muffin tin with muffin cups if using, or if not grease the tin.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and 1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar.  In another bowl whisk together the heavy cream, eggs and melted butter and pour into the flour mixture, whisking to combine. 

Fill each muffin cup with a scant 1/4 cup and top with the blueberries.  Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with coarse sugar.

Bake for 20-25 mins until evenly browned.

 

 

Corn Muffins

Kenny, I love you.  But I love your corn muffins more.  These corn muffins were served at Kenny Rogers Roaster’s Restaurants, which I think are a thing of the past but they are so delish!  I usually eat about 50 in one day and then spend the night on the couch clutching my bulging stomach listening to Islands in the Stream.  I found the recipe for these corn muffins at a website named “men who look like Kenny Rogers”… I'm not even going to comment on that, just go look for yourself.

Kenny Rogers Corn Muffin Recipe

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup corn (fresh, frozen or canned)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and line a standard muffin tin.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and honey.  Add the eggs and combine. Add the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder and mix.  Add the milk and corn and mix thoroughly. 

Divide equally between a greased 12 cup muffin tin.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and they spring back when lightly pressed. 

Cinnamon-Rhubarb Muffins

I was garage sale'ing with friends at the crack of dawn last Saturday, (I'm cool I know) and bought 13 stalks of rhubarb for one buck.  It was the only bargain of the day but I was happy with my purchase.  Rhubarb is so often overlooked but it is one of my favourite fruits especially when paired with something sweet such as these muffins.   These muffins are similar to a coffee cake and are really nice and moist, perfect with a really good cup of coffee in the morning or served warm with vanilla ice cream.  This recipe comes from Fine Cooking Magazine.

Cinnamon-rhubarb muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

8 tbsp  butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cups 1/4-inch-diced rhubarb

3 tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line a muffin tin.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and whisk to blend.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together; do not overmix. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. The batter will be thick.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, using the back of a spoon or a small spatula to settle the batter into the cups. The batter should mound a bit higher than the tops of the cups.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle a generous 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over each muffin.

Bake the muffins until they’re golden brown, spring back most of the way when gently pressed, and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift the muffins out of the pan—if necessary, loosen them with the tip of a paring knife—and let them cool somewhat. Serve warm.