Name: Sweet Muffins/Loaf - Core Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 50g unsalted butter; 50g caster sugar; 90ml milk plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice OR 100ml natural yoghurt; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 egg; 125g plain/all-purpose flour; ¾ teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; ⅛ teaspoon salt; 100g additional ingredients such as fresh or dried fruit plus ½ teaspoon flour, chocolate, nuts, seeds; 1 - 2 teaspoons spice; zest of lemon, lime or orange; additional berries, chocolate or nuts for the top

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Light fluffy muffins – one bowl, quick, highly versatile and adaptable to your personal preferences, seasonal ingredients and store cupboard staples. You can whip these up in no time. This wonderful recipe is a blank canvas for your imagination – let it run riot! The pictures attached are from my Blueberry and Lemon Muffin Recipe but the possibilities are infinitesimal!

This is my second Core Recipe for muffins. I have previously posted my Banana Muffin/Loaf – Core Recipe. Need to use up some over-ripe bananas? You need look no further than here. Like my Banana Muffin recipe, this recipe can be made in a loaf tin or as individual muffins. Muffins/Loaves are always best eaten on the day they are made. This recipe makes 6 muffins or a 1lb loaf. It doubles easily if you want to make 12 or a 2lb loaf. If making a 2 lb loaf cook for an extra 10 minutes. Should you have any leftover, cover in an airtight container and ideally store in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature to eat though, or gently warm in the microwave. The loaf is wonderful toasted the next day.

A variety of recipes based on Sweet Muffin/Loaf Recipe

Keep an eye out for these dishes:

Recipes already posted:

**White Chocolate, Cranberry and Orange Christmas Muffins**

Spicy Apricot Muffins with Vanilla and White Chocolate

Photograph of Strawberries and Cream Vanilla Muffins — Spicy Apricot Muffins with Vanilla and White Chocolate

Photograph of Peach and Vanilla Muffins with Mascarpone Cheese — Peach and Vanilla Muffins with Mascarpone Cheese

Photograph of Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Olive Oil Muffins with Chocolate Streusel Topping — Peach and Vanilla Muffins with Mascarpone Cheese

Photograph of Double Chocolate Chip Muffins with Chocolate Streusel and Chocolate Mini Eggs — Double Chocolate Chip Muffins with Chocolate Streusel and Chocolate Mini Eggs

Recipes I plan to post:

Lemon and Poppyseed
Orange with Orange Chocolate
Lemon Curd and Rosemary
Chocolate Chip
Mango, Coconut and Lime
Strawberry Cheesecake
Vanilla with Peanut Butter and Nutella
Blueberry, Lemon and White Chocolate
Blackberry and Apple with a Streusel Topping
Mango, Coconut, Pistachio and Cardamom
Blackberry and Chai
Cranberry, Pear and Christmas Spice
Pear and Ginger
Chocolate and Pear
Double Chocolate Orange
White Chocolate and Raspberry
Cranberry Ripple and Orange

The recipe I am sharing here is called Sweet Muffins/Loaf because I will shortly be posting another, very similar recipe, for Savoury Muffins. But first, how do you make these muffins?

How to make Sweet Muffins/Loaf

Quick, easy and all made in one bowl. Collect all your ingredients together:

Basic ingredients:

unsalted butter
sugar
milk and lemon juice OR natural yoghurt
eggs
vanilla extract
flour
baking powder
bicarbonate/baking soda
salt

Additional ingredients:

additional ingredients such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, seeds, nuts (or combination of the above)
spice
grated rind of lemons, limes or oranges
additional berries, chocolate or nuts for the top of the muffins/loaf

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, (plus any spices you care to use.) Sieve into the mixing bowl, add any lemon/lime/orange rind and fold until 80% mixed. Tip in your additional ingredients and fold in. Any fruit, fresh or dried 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 your muffin cases or tip into a lined loaf tin.

Scatter over any additional berries, chocolate or nuts on the top of the muffins/loaf. This is optional but I think it greatly enhances the look of the muffins/loaf whilst also ensuring that any muffins with fewer additions (which is often the case for the last muffin scraped out of the bowl) have a few more added. Cook at a high heat for 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature. This kickstarts the raising agents and helps ensure a good rise.

Regardless of what additional ingredients you have included in your muffins, they are best served warm. I like them with a little salted butter. They are not terribly sweet muffins so honey or maple syrup also works well. If I’m toasting some of the loaf the following day, I love it with butter and honey/maple syrup and/or yoghurt and fresh fruit. What a divine breakfast or morning coffee!

Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.