Muffin Riffing

I have been making a lot of muffins lately.

I found some pretty general recipes and have been changing them up with different ingredients.  Last week, for example, I used the recipe for blueberry lemon muffins and instead made raspberry orange muffins, because those were the ingredients I had on hand.

I've been loving ginger, and I wanted a ginger muffin that was not a gingerbread muffin.  A few alterations to my recipe gave me these ginger gems.

I managed to sub applesauce for oil and add a bit less sugar, so perhaps I can call these healthy, even though essentially it's still a miniature cake.

Ginger Muffins

2 c. white whole wheat flour or regular flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 T. crystallized ginger, finely chopped

1 1/2 t. ginger powder

2/3 c. sugar

1 c. soy or other milk

1/3 c. plain applesauce

1 t. orange extract

1 T. white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and both kinds of ginger.  In another medium bowl, mix the sugar, milk, applesauce, extract, and vinegar.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, and just barely mix. You can add a little water to get the right consistency.

Scoop into a greased muffin tin.

Bake about 17-20 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

While I'm at it, I thought I'd mention that I made the very same muffins I posted below, but with pumpkin puree.  And spices.  They have a bit of a softer crumb.

I like to make batches of muffins and store them in the freezer for breakfast and for hiking snacks.


Pumpkin Spice Muffins

2 c. white whole wheat flour
1.5 t. baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger

1/4 t. cloves

1/4 t. nutmeg
1 c. (approx.) of pumpkin puree
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. canola oil

1 flax egg (3 T. water mixed with 1 T. flax meal and set aside for a few minutes to thicken) (probably 1 regular egg would work fine, too)
1/3 - 1/2 c. water
1 t. vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the  flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in one bowl.  

In another bowl, mash the pumpkin together with the oil and sugar.  Add the water, flax egg, and vanilla extract, and stir.

Add the dry ingredients.  With muffins, it's important that you don't overmix, or you'll get rubbery bottoms.  Stir until just mixed.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tray.  I use an ice cream scoop to put the mixture into each tin.  Sprinkle the tops with a pinch of demerara or large-crystal sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

Note:  The idea for this recipe was inspired by The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Treats by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I've been making this recipe on a regular basis.  It's fairly flexible in terms of flour; you can use whole wheat, white whole wheat, or just regular all-purpose flower.  I've used all with good results.

I have adapted the recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Treats by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.  Most of the recipes I've made from this book have turned out great.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 c. white whole wheat flour
1.5 t. baking soda
pinch of salt
4 ripe bananas
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
1/3 - 1/2 c. water
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. chocolate chips of your choice (semisweet, dark, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the  flour, baking soda, and salt in one bowl.  

In another bowl, mash the bananas.  I use a potato masher, and sometimes I just use two big bananas, depending.  It should be about a cup or a cup-and-a-half of mashed banana puree.  Add the sugar and oil, and mash again.  Add the water and vanilla extract, and stir.

Add the dry ingredients.  With muffins, it's important that you don't overmix, or you'll get rubbery bottoms.  Stir until just mixed.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tray.  I use an ice cream scoop to put the mixture into each tin.  Sprinkle the tops with a pinch of demerara or large-crystal sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes.