Blueberry and Lemon Muffins
Light, fluffy muffins with the sweetness of blueberries and the tang of lemon. Quick and easy to make; using only one bowl, (almost!) you can whip these up in no time. Delicious warmed and on their own or served with butter and honey or yoghurt and fresh berries for an extra treat.
I make many different muffins with different fruits, chocolate, nuts, oats – you name it. But this classic is one I keep coming back to time and time again. It’s perfect for breakfast or morning coffee. It is not too sweet, it is refreshing and bursting with fruit. Crikey it is almost a health food! It would also be delicious for afternoon tea but, if you made them in the morning, I doubt you’ll have any left by then! This exact recipe can also be used to make a 1lb loaf cake. For baking instructions for a loaf or for more detailed instructions for muffins, please see my Sweet Muffins/Loaf – Core Recipe.
How to make Blueberry and Lemon Muffins
This recipe is an adaption of my Sweet Muffins/Loaf – Core Recipe. I have simply added additional lemon juice, lemon rind and blueberries to the core recipe and ‘voila’! Quick, easy and all made in one bowl (almost!). Start by collecting all your ingredients together:
Basic ingredients:
- unsalted butter
- sugar
- milk
- lemon juice
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- flour
- baking powder
- bicarbonate/baking soda
- salt
- lemon rind
- blueberries
To make the muffins, simply melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. (If you do not have a microwave, you can melt the butter in a large saucepan and then use the saucepan as your mixing bowl – if you are using a metal balloon whisk, make sure your saucepan is not non-stick!) Add the sugar, milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract and egg. When you add the lemon juice to the milk, it will curdle. This is OK! Your lemon juice is basically turning your milk into buttermilk. Mix thoroughly with a balloon whisk.
Put a sieve over the bowl and measure in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Sieve into the mixing bowl, add the lemon rind and fold until 80% mixed. Tip in your blueberries and fold in. (The blueberries should be mixed with 1/2 teaspoon flour – this helps them distribute evenly throughout.) Do not over mix – it is ok to have a few lumps. Divide into 6 muffin cases and scatter over a further 4-6 blueberries on the top each muffin. Cook at a high heat for 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature. This kickstarts the raising agents and helps ensure your muffins rise well.
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Delicious warmed and served as they are or eat them with butter and honey or fresh blueberries, banana and lemon or natural yoghurt and a drizzle of honey. Whatever takes your fancy! Alternatively, make someone’s day and take them round to a friend’s house or to the office and just watch everybody stop what they are doing and swoon! You will definitely be the most popular person in the office and without doubt you will receive another invite to your friend’s house!
For more detailed guidance on how to make these muffins, please refer to my Core Recipe for Sweet Muffins.
Blueberry and Lemon Muffins
Light, fluffy muffins with the sweetness of blueberries and the tang of lemon. Quick and easy to make; using only one bowl (almost!), you can whip these up in no time. Delicious warmed and on their own or served with butter and honey or yoghurt and fresh berries for an extra treat.
Ingredients
Basic Ingredients:
-
50g unsalted butter
-
50g caster sugar
- 80ml milk
- juice from 1 medium lemon (2 – 2½ tablespoons)
-
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1 egg
-
125g plain/all-purpose flour
-
¾ teaspoons baking powder
-
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- zest of 1 lemon
- 75g – 100g blueberries
- Around 30 extra blueberries to put on the tops of the muffins
Instructions
Equipment
-
kitchen scales
-
measuring spoons and jug
-
mixing bowl
-
small mixing bowl
-
6 hole muffin tin and paper cases
-
ice cream scoop, spatula and balloon whisk
Method
-
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
-
Preheat oven to Fan Oven 200°C /220°C/425°F/Gas 7
-
Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl in the microwave. Allow to cool a little.
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Chop any large blueberries into halves or quarters (optional) and then mix all the blueberries with ½ teaspoon flour in asmall mixing bowl.
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Add the sugar, milk, lemon juice, vanilla and egg to the butter. It will curdle – that is OK. Mix well with a balloon whisk.
-
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.
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Add the lemon rind and fold everything in lightly until roughly 80% mixed in.
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Now add the blueberries and ½ teaspoon flour. Mix to evenly distribute being very careful not to overmix. A few lumps are ok.
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Using an ice cream scoop divide the batter equally between the muffin cases. Scatter over additional berries on the top of the muffins.
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Put into the oven on the middle shelf for 5 minutes.
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After 5 minutes, turn the oven down to Fan Oven 160°C /180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and cook for a further 15 minutes.
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Remove from the oven when cooked, leave to sit for 5 – 10 minutes and transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack.
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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 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.
Sweet Muffins/Loaf - Core Recipe
