Muffins are always an easy standby as they are so easy to make and the choice of flavors is huge. They can be made in a matter of minutes and bake for just 20 minutes. Kids can easily mix the ingredients, which are best not mixed properly actually – the batter should be a bit lumpy. This will give you a lighter and less dense muffin, and a more rounded soft top, as opposed to a peaked muffin with more of a crust if overmixed – still edible, of course, but not quite as they should be!
Most muffins have the same basic ingredients of flour (some recipes substitute various other flours here – I have very successfully substituted half the flour with ground almond/almond flour and it works perfectly), sugar (a little less for savoury muffins), eggs, milk (or buttermilk), a little salt and then butter, margerine or oil. Then there are the flavoring ingredients, of course, to make the delicious tasty muffins we want to eat: decadent chocolate and chocolate chips, healthy fruit, berries, nuts, seeds, herbs and vegetables, interesting spices to spice them up a bit and melt in your mouth cheeses, yummy corn and various savoury condiments like mustard and worcestershire sauce for example. The possibilities are endless!
Muffins are best eaten when straight out the oven, with the aroma of fresh baking still hanging in the air, and the muffins deliciously warm, soft and oh so good with a cup of tea or coffee! Kids will love getting their aprons on, a bowl and spoon in their hands, and then mixing and stirring them up with you, either making their own muffin while you make a dozen or helping you make a batch for everyone to enjoy. The best part is, of course, the tasting of the batter and the flavoring ingredients like carrots, nuts, blueberries, raisins, chocolate chips etc.
All the benefits and fun in baking cannot be under estimated. So much is gained from measuring and learning the names of ingredients to learning to follow instructions and seeing how following a process can yield incredible results. From the use of both fine and gross motor muscles in the mixing and stirring, measuring and sprinkling to learning patience and gaining a love for baking while spending time with you – this activity is packed full of educational fun! Everything is beneficial and the memories made are priceleless. Baking days in my playgroup over 21 years, are the days most of us remember vividly and with the greatest fondness. So, get baking for a wonderful afternoon of joy and special times with the amazing children in your life!
Here are a selection of my favorite muffin recipes:
The quantities in brackets are for a child to make just one muffin, and can be doubled if you want them to make one each for the two of you!)
CARROT CAKE MUFFINS (makes about 12 big muffins)
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups flour (2 rounded TBS)
2/3 cup light brown sugar (1 TBS)
1 tsp baking powder (2 pinches)
1/2 tsp baking soda (a pinch)
1/2 tsp salt (a pinch)
1 tsp cinnamon (2 pinches)
1/2 cup crushed pineapple in juice (2 tsp)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (2 tsp)
1 egg (1 tsp or easiest is 1 tsp plain yoghurt instead)
1 tsp vanilla essence (a few drops)
2 cups grated carrots (2 rounded TBS)
1/2 cup raisins – optional (a few)
1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts -optional (1-2 tsp)
Method:
Set oven to 200C (400F) and prepare 12 cup muffin pan
1. Grate carrots.
2. Chop pecan nuts if using.
3. In a large bowl (or a small bowl for children making their own), stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. In another bowl, mix together the pineapple, oil, egg and vanilla until well blended.
5. Next, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix just to combine. Do not over mix.
6. Add the grated carrots and then the raisins and nuts, if using. Do not over mix – muffin mixture should only just be mixed enough to incorporate all the ingredients, and no more than that.
7. Pour/spoon batter into prepared muffin pan.
9. Bake muffins for about 15-20 minutes (18 minutes is usually perfect for mine). Use a cake tester to check if ready before removing from the oven – the skewer should come out clean.
10. Once baked, wait a few minutes before removing from the pans. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Icing (frosting)
Ingredients
65g butter (1 tsp)
65g cream cheese/cottage cheese (must be full cream) (1 tsp)
250g icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) (1 rounded TBS)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence (2 drops)
Mix all above ingredients together, and when it has a nice smooth and fairly thick consistency, it can be spread on top of the muffins. If necessary, add a little more icing sugar if not quite thick enough.
Enjoy the delicious taste next! These muffins freeze well.
CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS (makes about 12 muffins)
Ingredients
2 cups flour (3 TBS)
1/3 cup light brown sugar (1 rounded tsp)
1/3 cup white sugar (1 rounded tsp)
2 tsp baking powder (2 pinches)
1/2 tsp salt (a pinch)
2/3 cup milk (1 TBS)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled slightly (2 tsp)
2 eggs lightly beaten (2 tsp egg but easiest to use 2 tsp plain yoghurt instead)
1 tsp vanilla essence (2-3 drops)
1-1,5 cups chocolate chips, depending on your taste (2 TBS)
Method
Preheat oven to 200C (390 F)
Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan.
1. Stir together flour, sugars, baking powder and salt.
2. Separately, stir together milk, eggs, butter and vanilla essence.
3. Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just to combine, and do not over mix.
4. Gently stir in chocolate chips.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin cups.
6. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, testing with a skewer to see if ready – it should come out clean.
7. When cooled slightly remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
Delicious warm or cold, and they freeze well.
GINGER PEAR MUFFINS
Ingredients
2 cups flour (3 TBS)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (2 tsp)
1 tsp baking soda (a big pinch)
1/2 tsp salt (a pinch)
2 tsp ground ginger (2 pinches)
2 tsp ground cinnamon (2 pinches)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (a small pinch)
1/8 tsp ground cloves (a small pinch)
1 cup plain yoghurt (1 TBS)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (1 tsp)
1 egg (1/2 tsp or easiest is 1/2 tsp plain yoghurt)
1,5 cups finely chopped pears (I do sometimes leave these out and just make spiced muffins) (2 TBS)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (1 rounded tsp)
Method
Preheat oven to 200C (390F)
Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan
1. Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix.
2. In another bowl, mix the three wet ingredients.
3. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquid – stir just to combine.
4. Add the fruit and nuts and mix just to combine.
5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups and bake for 20 -25 minutes, until done.
6. Leave to cool 5 minutes before removing from the pan to finish cooling on a wire rack or eat them warm!
Store in an airtight container or they will freeze well.
BANANA MUFFINS
Ingredients
125g softened butter (1 TBS)
1/2 cup sugar (1 tsp)
2 eggs (2 tsp yoghurt)
1 tsp vanilla essence (2-3 drops)
250g flour OR 125g flour and 125g almond flour (2 TBS or 1 TBS of each)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (a big pinch)
3/4 tsp salt (a pinch)
3 TBS soured milk or milk with a little lemon juice (1 tsp)
3 large bananas well mashed (1/4 large banana or 1/2 a small one)
Method
Set oven to 180C (360F)
Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan
1. Cream the butter well, and then add the sugar. Children can squash the butter and the sugar together!
2. Next add the egg/yoghurt and vanilla.
3. Separately mix the flour(s), bicarbonate of soda and salt.
4. Add these to the butter, sugar and egg mix, alternately with the soured milk and well mashed bananas.
5. Mix together and then spoon into the prepared muffin cups.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a squewer comes out clean.
7. Leave to cool a few minutes, and then carefull remove to a wire rack to cool, or eat warm!