Monday 27 June 2011

Blackcurrant Muffins


With less sugar content than traditional cupcakes, these American style muffins are delicious and couldn't be easier to make.  They are entirely free of eggs and dairy too!

Made with sunflower oil instead of vegetable fat, all you do is weigh out your dry ingredients into one bowl, combine your liquid ones in a measuring jug, then mix the whole lot together and throw in some blackcurrants and, hey presto, beautiful fresh fruit muffins!

Thanks to a couple of productive bushes in my garden, I always have plenty of blackcurrants in my freezer.  Raspberries, diced strawberries or blueberries would do just as well, fresh or frozen. 

Ingredients      Makes about 12

250g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
50g golden castor sugar
3 fl.oz sunflower oil
9 fl oz soya milk
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
(e.g. Nielsen-Massey Madagascan)
120g fresh or frozen blackcurrants

Topping:
25g golden castor sugar
1 tsp mixed spice

Method


First prepare your muffin tin.

If you have paper cases for muffins, place in the tin. Otherwise, grease the muffin tin well.

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 6.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together into a large mixing bowl.

Measure the soya milk and sunflower oil in a measuring jug. Whisk together with a fork and stir in the vanilla essence.


Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and combine well but don't overbeat the mixture if you want super light cakes.   I generally use a fork to incorporate everything and press out any lumps!

Carefully fold in the blackcurrants.


Using a spoon, divide the mixture into the 12 muffin cases or tin.   


Mix the sugar and mixed spice in a small bowl or empty margarine container box.


Using a teaspoon or the corner of the container as a pourer, sprinkle over the top of the muffins.


Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until well-risen, springy and golden.


If using paper cases, transfer the muffins immediately to a wire rack to cool. If not, leave in the tin for about 5 minutes before turning out.


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