Bah Humbug Martha

[Madeleine]

Just made my second baked good (other than cookies) from a Martha recipe. Scones tasted like biscuits. Muffins taste like biscuits.
I need a good, basic muffin recipe. One that leans toward sweet and moist. This one is totally dry and not sweet at all even with added sugar on top.

 

[bbinnsitters]

Have you tried the Company Muffins - I am sure they are listed somewhere on this forum - they have different names too. Let me know if you can't find it tho and I will e-mail it to you.

 

[bbinnsitters]

Found it!
Morning Glory Muffins

Prep time 10 minutes
Recipe Types breads
Description
Batter will keep in fridge for 6 weeks!!!
Ingredients
20 oz raisin bran cereal
2 1⁄2 c sugar
5 c flour
1 t salt
5 t baking soda
4 c buttermilk
20 oz crushed pineapple
4 eggs
1 c veg oil
Instructions
Start with a very large bowl - you are using a 20 oz box of Raisin Bran cereal. Combine all dry ingredients. Mix together all wet ingredients (pineapple is a 20 oz can undrained) and add to dry ingredients. Put in large container that is well sealed - will keep in fridge for 6 weeks. Bake the amount you need for breakfast at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. I use the mini muffin tins if you are serving fruit and muffin for starters so they don't fill up on muffins before their big breakfast!

 

[innsane1]

I would try any of Paula Deen's recipes, usually have a lot of fat and that's why they are so good, use equivalent of other mix-ins if you don't like blueberries.:
http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/nanas_blueberry_muffins/

 

[Generic]

Most important rule of muffins... don't over beat. Use a simple fork and beat just enough that most is moist, but you still have lumps. Over mixing the flour activates the gluten in the flour, which will create a muffin that is too dry and has large air pockets.
Also, they will bake better from cold or frozen as long as you are using double acting baking powder or "magic" baking powder as we call it around here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nymbeW8fTJY

 

[Madeleine]

Most important rule of muffins... don't over beat. Use a simple fork and beat just enough that most is moist, but you still have lumps. Over mixing the flour activates the gluten in the flour, which will create a muffin that is too dry and has large air pockets.
Also, they will bake better from cold or frozen as long as you are using double acting baking powder or "magic" baking powder as we call it around here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nymbeW8fTJY.

This stuff was so thick I could barely mix it at all. Had the worst time folding in the blueberries. They were popping and getting the batter all blue.
We're going to grill them in the morning so that will add in a little butter to make them less dry. The mini ones came out better. Maybe I'll just knock 5 minutes off the bake time.

 

[Silverspoon]

This is a recipe that I have been using for 40 years. (Betty Cro cker as I recall) It is very easy, quick and never fails to please. I use it with blueberries but other mix-ins would also work I'm sure.
Preheat oven to 400 degree (I use convect), butter 12, 1/2 cup size, or 24 regular muffin slots)
Toss 2 cups berries with flour, set aside. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 teas cinnamon, set aside.
Bowl #1: Combine
3 cups King Art. flour
1 cup sugar
4 teas. baking powder
1/2 teas. salt
Bowl #2: Combine
2 eggs, slightly beaten with fork
1 cup milk (I use 1%)
1/2 cup corn oil
Add bowl #1 to bowl #2 and stir gently until almost all dry is mixed in. Gently fold in berries until evenly distributed. Do not over mix.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 18-20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned.

 

[Madeleine]

This is a recipe that I have been using for 40 years. (Betty Cro cker as I recall) It is very easy, quick and never fails to please. I use it with blueberries but other mix-ins would also work I'm sure.
Preheat oven to 400 degree (I use convect), butter 12, 1/2 cup size, or 24 regular muffin slots)
Toss 2 cups berries with flour, set aside. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 teas cinnamon, set aside.
Bowl #1: Combine
3 cups King Art. flour
1 cup sugar
4 teas. baking powder
1/2 teas. salt
Bowl #2: Combine
2 eggs, slightly beaten with fork
1 cup milk (I use 1%)
1/2 cup corn oil
Add bowl #1 to bowl #2 and stir gently until almost all dry is mixed in. Gently fold in berries until evenly distributed. Do not over mix.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 18-20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned..

Betty Crocker. You know I should just stick with the one and only cookbook I had when I first moved away from home! The cover is gone, the book is beat to heck but the best recipes are in there!
(10 years ago I had a bookstore. I have a hundred cookbooks left over from that venture but BC is the best one of the bunch!)

 

[white pine]

Just made these this morning!
I've played with one I found online, this is my basic go to now. I change liquids to use a little lemon juice and rind for blueberry muffins. Or change the liquid to oj and some orange rind....or add some curd or jam to half-filled and butter and sugar the tops...they always come out moist and always disappear quickly. FAST and EASY
1 3/4 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste, vary with type of muffins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk (or juice)
Preheat to 350
Mix dry ingredients set aside
Mix wet ingredients
Add wet to dry, stir until just mixed
(fold in berries or nuts)
spoon into muffin paper cups (half full if you will add jam or curd) and cover with another spoonful of batter
Bake til golden, I rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar, serve warm

 

[Madeleine]

Just made these this morning!
I've played with one I found online, this is my basic go to now. I change liquids to use a little lemon juice and rind for blueberry muffins. Or change the liquid to oj and some orange rind....or add some curd or jam to half-filled and butter and sugar the tops...they always come out moist and always disappear quickly. FAST and EASY
1 3/4 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste, vary with type of muffins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk (or juice)
Preheat to 350
Mix dry ingredients set aside
Mix wet ingredients
Add wet to dry, stir until just mixed
(fold in berries or nuts)
spoon into muffin paper cups (half full if you will add jam or curd) and cover with another spoonful of batter
Bake til golden, I rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar, serve warm.

Holy cow! Lemon curd blueberry muffins! I'm trying that.

 

[white pine]

Just made these this morning!
I've played with one I found online, this is my basic go to now. I change liquids to use a little lemon juice and rind for blueberry muffins. Or change the liquid to oj and some orange rind....or add some curd or jam to half-filled and butter and sugar the tops...they always come out moist and always disappear quickly. FAST and EASY
1 3/4 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste, vary with type of muffins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk (or juice)
Preheat to 350
Mix dry ingredients set aside
Mix wet ingredients
Add wet to dry, stir until just mixed
(fold in berries or nuts)
spoon into muffin paper cups (half full if you will add jam or curd) and cover with another spoonful of batter
Bake til golden, I rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar, serve warm.

Holy cow! Lemon curd blueberry muffins! I'm trying that.
.

Actually, I did either/ or...but you are right! What a concept!
I use this basic recipe with variations for all kinds. I use the curd or jam filled as another variation.
The oj/orange rind/walnut with cinnamon sugar sprinkle on top are real good too.

 

[Kay Nein]

Here's the recipe I use every morning. It's a bulk dry mix that I section out into baggies for individual batches and then keep them in the fridge. In the morning I pull out a baggie add the liquids & fruit and I'm good to go.
Bulk Mix
8c AP flour
3c Sugar
3T Baking Powder
2t Salt
2t Cinnamon (heaping - usually closer to 4t)
Muffins
2 3/4c Mix
1 egg
3/4c Milk
1/2c oil
1c fruit
Mix then fold in one cup of fruit. Makes about 12 muffins. I sprinkle about 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar on top of each and wait until it soaks in then bake at 375* for 17 minutes.
Anytime our fruit gets too ripe for serving fresh, we cut, measure it out and put it in the freezer. Easy peasy muffins in no time.

 

[Kay Nein]

Just made these this morning!
I've played with one I found online, this is my basic go to now. I change liquids to use a little lemon juice and rind for blueberry muffins. Or change the liquid to oj and some orange rind....or add some curd or jam to half-filled and butter and sugar the tops...they always come out moist and always disappear quickly. FAST and EASY
1 3/4 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste, vary with type of muffins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk (or juice)
Preheat to 350
Mix dry ingredients set aside
Mix wet ingredients
Add wet to dry, stir until just mixed
(fold in berries or nuts)
spoon into muffin paper cups (half full if you will add jam or curd) and cover with another spoonful of batter
Bake til golden, I rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar, serve warm.

I love the idea of putting a little jam inside. Might try that with some strawberry muffins... oh that sounds yummy!

 

[white pine]

Just made these this morning!
I've played with one I found online, this is my basic go to now. I change liquids to use a little lemon juice and rind for blueberry muffins. Or change the liquid to oj and some orange rind....or add some curd or jam to half-filled and butter and sugar the tops...they always come out moist and always disappear quickly. FAST and EASY
1 3/4 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste, vary with type of muffins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk (or juice)
Preheat to 350
Mix dry ingredients set aside
Mix wet ingredients
Add wet to dry, stir until just mixed
(fold in berries or nuts)
spoon into muffin paper cups (half full if you will add jam or curd) and cover with another spoonful of batter
Bake til golden, I rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar, serve warm.

I love the idea of putting a little jam inside. Might try that with some strawberry muffins... oh that sounds yummy!
.

I call them "Jammies" another good one is a couple generous teaspoons of pineapple jam inside. After baking, butter the tops and sprinkle with brown sugar...like pineapple upside downcake muffins.

 

[Generic]

Most important rule of muffins... don't over beat. Use a simple fork and beat just enough that most is moist, but you still have lumps. Over mixing the flour activates the gluten in the flour, which will create a muffin that is too dry and has large air pockets.
Also, they will bake better from cold or frozen as long as you are using double acting baking powder or "magic" baking powder as we call it around here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nymbeW8fTJY.

This stuff was so thick I could barely mix it at all. Had the worst time folding in the blueberries. They were popping and getting the batter all blue.
We're going to grill them in the morning so that will add in a little butter to make them less dry. The mini ones came out better. Maybe I'll just knock 5 minutes off the bake time.
.

The amount of liquid must be wrong. Batter should be liquidy but lumpy. The key is lumpy. If it isn't lumpy, it was mixed too much.

 

[Madeleine]

Here's the recipe I use every morning. It's a bulk dry mix that I section out into baggies for individual batches and then keep them in the fridge. In the morning I pull out a baggie add the liquids & fruit and I'm good to go.
Bulk Mix
8c AP flour
3c Sugar
3T Baking Powder
2t Salt
2t Cinnamon (heaping - usually closer to 4t)
Muffins
2 3/4c Mix
1 egg
3/4c Milk
1/2c oil
1c fruit
Mix then fold in one cup of fruit. Makes about 12 muffins. I sprinkle about 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar on top of each and wait until it soaks in then bake at 375* for 17 minutes.
Anytime our fruit gets too ripe for serving fresh, we cut, measure it out and put it in the freezer. Easy peasy muffins in no time..

Thanks for the bulk idea!

 

[Madeleine]

Most important rule of muffins... don't over beat. Use a simple fork and beat just enough that most is moist, but you still have lumps. Over mixing the flour activates the gluten in the flour, which will create a muffin that is too dry and has large air pockets.
Also, they will bake better from cold or frozen as long as you are using double acting baking powder or "magic" baking powder as we call it around here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nymbeW8fTJY.

This stuff was so thick I could barely mix it at all. Had the worst time folding in the blueberries. They were popping and getting the batter all blue.
We're going to grill them in the morning so that will add in a little butter to make them less dry. The mini ones came out better. Maybe I'll just knock 5 minutes off the bake time.
.

The amount of liquid must be wrong. Batter should be liquidy but lumpy. The key is lumpy. If it isn't lumpy, it was mixed too much.
.

Smooth as can be but thick. The recipe called for 1 c of milk and 6 tbsp butter. I was thinking after the 2nd c of flour that it was going to be way too much flour. But the recipe was 3 c plus 2 tbsp.
Everyone liked them. They asked for the recipe! So, maybe I just like my muffins moist and sweet and other people don't.

 

[Generic]

Just made these this morning!
I've played with one I found online, this is my basic go to now. I change liquids to use a little lemon juice and rind for blueberry muffins. Or change the liquid to oj and some orange rind....or add some curd or jam to half-filled and butter and sugar the tops...they always come out moist and always disappear quickly. FAST and EASY
1 3/4 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste, vary with type of muffins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk (or juice)
Preheat to 350
Mix dry ingredients set aside
Mix wet ingredients
Add wet to dry, stir until just mixed
(fold in berries or nuts)
spoon into muffin paper cups (half full if you will add jam or curd) and cover with another spoonful of batter
Bake til golden, I rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar, serve warm.

Holy cow! Lemon curd blueberry muffins! I'm trying that.
.

Want to try something really different? Put the sugar (measured) into the food processor with some lavender. A tablespoon for a large batch, so maybe a flat teaspoon of lavender buds. And process it in the food processor with the sugar. Let it sit a few minutes before you use it. And then just make regular blueberry muffins and you will have something very special and different and the house will smell so nice as well.
With lavender remember that there is such a thing as too much. It needs to be a delicate flavour, because when it is too strong it tastes soapy. It's one of these things that are better in small quantities. But they go so well with blueberries.

 

[Generic]

Most important rule of muffins... don't over beat. Use a simple fork and beat just enough that most is moist, but you still have lumps. Over mixing the flour activates the gluten in the flour, which will create a muffin that is too dry and has large air pockets.
Also, they will bake better from cold or frozen as long as you are using double acting baking powder or "magic" baking powder as we call it around here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nymbeW8fTJY.

This stuff was so thick I could barely mix it at all. Had the worst time folding in the blueberries. They were popping and getting the batter all blue.
We're going to grill them in the morning so that will add in a little butter to make them less dry. The mini ones came out better. Maybe I'll just knock 5 minutes off the bake time.
.

The amount of liquid must be wrong. Batter should be liquidy but lumpy. The key is lumpy. If it isn't lumpy, it was mixed too much.
.

Smooth as can be but thick. The recipe called for 1 c of milk and 6 tbsp butter. I was thinking after the 2nd c of flour that it was going to be way too much flour. But the recipe was 3 c plus 2 tbsp.
Everyone liked them. They asked for the recipe! So, maybe I just like my muffins moist and sweet and other people don't.
.

Did the recipe call for melted butter and you use hard butter? Was there egg? Incidentally with blueberries, either frozen (never thawed) or fresh. You can't use thawed, unless you want a purple batter.

 

[Kay Nein]

Just made these this morning!
I've played with one I found online, this is my basic go to now. I change liquids to use a little lemon juice and rind for blueberry muffins. Or change the liquid to oj and some orange rind....or add some curd or jam to half-filled and butter and sugar the tops...they always come out moist and always disappear quickly. FAST and EASY
1 3/4 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste, vary with type of muffins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk (or juice)
Preheat to 350
Mix dry ingredients set aside
Mix wet ingredients
Add wet to dry, stir until just mixed
(fold in berries or nuts)
spoon into muffin paper cups (half full if you will add jam or curd) and cover with another spoonful of batter
Bake til golden, I rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar, serve warm.

I love the idea of putting a little jam inside. Might try that with some strawberry muffins... oh that sounds yummy!
.

I call them "Jammies" another good one is a couple generous teaspoons of pineapple jam inside. After baking, butter the tops and sprinkle with brown sugar...like pineapple upside downcake muffins.
.

OMG now I want some. That sounds divine!