Muffin Kick Round 2: Old-Fashioned Raspberry

Muffin Kick Round 2:

Old Fashioned Raspberry Muffins

I'm in a particularly good mood today, just got a call informing me that I officially have a second job. Yes, a second job. Part of that kinda sucks, but I need it. I am happy that I'll be working at Sur La Table, one of my all-time favorite cooking supply stores. Ahhh I'm so excited!!

OK, so continuing my little muffin kick. These muffins are delicious. They were originally supposed to be blueberry muffins, but I made them into raspberry muffins. Are you seeing a trend starting here? I like to substitute other fruits for the original ones in whatever recipe I have. So take note of this: you can substitute ingredients, it's not a crime and if there's a fruit you like better than raspberries or blueberries swap them out! Who cares! They're your muffins, you do what you want. So this one is a very simple one. Let's not waste any time and just get started!

Here's what you'll need:

2 eggs

1-1/4 cups milk (I used 1% milk)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tsp grated lemon zest (can sub this for 1/2 tsp of lemon extract)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups raspberries...or blueberries...or whatever you want :)

I think part of what I really like about these muffins is that they have whole wheat flour in them. It's different from the typical baking that I do where only all-purpose flour is used. I like the idea of whole wheat flour, it just makes me feel like it's healthier. And hey, there's fruit in these that automatically makes it healthy...right?

Let's get started!! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (or 200 Celsius)

Grab a medium bowl, and combine the eggs, milk, butter, and lemon zest (or lemon extract) whisk it together well. Like so...

Set that aside for a couple of minutes. Then in a large bowl, you're going to combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix that together so all the dry ingredients are evenly dispersed.

OK are we all set? Good! Now create a well in the dry ingredients, you can sort of see it in the picture up above. You create a well to help with the mixing process of the muffin batter. It really just makes it a hell of a lot easier to mix the batter up by hand. So pour the egg/milk mixture into the dry ingredients, like so...

Mix all this deliciousness up by HAND. Yes, no trusty hand mixer with these babies. Nope I like these muffins to be done strictly by hand. Maybe it's because they're called "old-fashioned" Hmmmm I don't know. Anywho...Mix it up JUST UNTIL THE DRY STUFF IS MOISTENED!!!

Ta-da!!!! Haha just kidding, we're not there yet. But once everything is mixed in...not over-mixed. Time to add in the raspberries! Or...you know, whatever fruit you so choose. I would recommend blueberries or raspberries though with these ones. You're going to want to gently fold the raspberries in so you don't destroy them and turn them into mush.

Oh how simple this recipe is. Now it's time to spoon the batter into either a greased muffin tin or spoon the batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Make sure the muffin cups are even otherwise you'll have mis-matching oddly shaped muffins. Which...well let's face it, I normally do. Oh well, they still end up being pretty damn delicious.

These are going to go in the oven for about 20 minutes. I put them in for 15 the turn the pan around for the last 5 minutes. Like I've said before, watch the muffins, love the muffins, don't burn the muffins. Know your oven and how it heats. These will be done when a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted near the center.

Let these cool for about 5 minutes in the pan then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely. These, like the strawberry cream muffins from last week, also taste pretty yummy warm.

There you go! See? Very simple! And very easy to make! Keep these in an air-tight container and they'll stay fresh for about a week. If you want to keep them a little longer, pop them in the fridge then into the microwave for a few seconds before you eat them! These are a hit and I'm sure everyone would love them!

Hope you enjoy these!!

'Til Next Time!!