Cacao and Applesauce Muffins - Vegan

Baking a batch of muffins on a rainy day seams like the most sensible thing to do.  Get the recipe for and check out more photos of these Cacao and Applesauce Muffins at Bakelife

Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins - Vegan

I'm still battling nature and heading any vitamin C deficiencies off at the pass by using every last bit of citrus fruit my garden produces... It's a noble (and seemingly endless) quest.

Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins - Vegan

Makes 12

sightly adapted from here

For the Muffins:

1 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups "00" flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/4 cup sunflower oil

Zest and juice of 1 lemon (I used a Meyer lemon)

For the Glaze:

1 cup icing sugar, sifted

1 - 2 tablespoon lemon juice

Edible flowers (optional)

Make the Muffins:

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper liners.  Set aside.

Put the milk and vinegar into a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.  You are essentially making vegan buttermilk here, so the mixture will split and curdle.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds.  Mix to combine and set aside.

Put the sugar, oil, lemon juice and zest into a large mixing bowl and mix.  Add the curdled milk and whisk.  Dump the dry ingredients into the wet mix and fold gently until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared liners until 2/3 full and bake for 15 - 18 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool a little.

Make the Glaze:

Put the icing sugar into a bowl and add as much lemon juice as you need to achieve a drizzling consistency.

Drizzle about a tablespoon of the glaze onto each muffin and allow them to cool completely. Top with flowers if using.

Mocha Snack Cakes

Who doesn’t love a little cake for a snack? Especially one made with chocolate and coffee. They’re dangerously easy to make. You can make them in this mini springform pan, or in a regular muffin-size pan for a slightly larger snack. You can top them with all manner of things. I like fresh fruit, nuts and cacao nibs… for health! They are easy to hold and can be eaten in 2 or 3 bites, perfect for a party. Or as a solitary treat with coffee in the middle of a wintry afternoon. Not that I’d know anything about that. No siree…

Mocha Snack Cakes
Makes 16 mini cakes or 12 regular muffin-sized cakes
slightly adapted from here

For the Cakes:
200g dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
200g golden caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon espresso coffee powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water to make a coffee extract
200g plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

To Serve:
200ml whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon icing sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Assortment of fruit, nuts, cacao nibs, grated chocolate, sprinkles… the list goes on.

For the Cakes:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Spray your cake pan with cooking oil spray and set aside.

Put the chocolate and 1/4 cup of the oil into a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Don’t let the bowl touch the water. Heat until melted and smooth and remove from the heat. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of oil with the yoghurt, sugar, eggs, vanilla and coffee extract. Set aside.

In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour the yoghurt mixture into the well. Stir until combined, then add the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix.

Divide the batter between the cups and bake for 15 minutes for the mini cakes and 20 minutes for the regular muffin-size cakes. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out with moist crumbs sticking to it.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completey.

To Serve:
Whip the cream with the icing sugar to firm peaks.

Top each little cake with a dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream and adorn with toppings of your choice. Dust with icing sugar.

Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

I grow rhubarb in my garden, which I normally make compotes, cakes and pies with. But these gorgeous scarlet stalks were given to me by a friend, so I wanted to really show the fruit off. So, I took those lovely sticks and chopped them, threw them in a pan with some other delicious stuff. Made a batter… and a compote… and a crumble… Put them all together and shoved them in the oven. Made some coffee, sat down, took a deep breath and ate warm Rhubarb Crumble Muffins and drank coffee. Life could be worse.

Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

slightly adapted from here

Makes 12

For the Rhubarb Compote:
300g rhubarb, chopped into 2cm pieces
1 vanilla pod split
100g caster sugar
Zest of 1 orange
60ml freshly squeezed orange juice

For the Muffins:
375g self-raising flour
175g light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
125ml buttermilk
125ml sunflower oil

For the Crumble:
75g self-raising flour
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
40g unslated butter, melted
Pinch of sea salt

Make the Rhubarb Compote:
Put the rhubarb, vanilla pod, sugar, orange rind and juice into a saucepan and bring it to simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until soft then set it aside to cool sliightly.

Make the Crumble:
Put all the topping ingredients into a bowl and scrunch it together with your hands. You should end up with a rough rubble. Set aside.

Make the Muffins:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Spray a 12-hole muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Put the flour, sugar, cinnamon and giner into a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla paste, buttermilk and oil. Mix with a spatula until just comnined. Don’t over mix.

Spoon the batter evenly between the prepared muffin tins. Top with a generous spoonful of the rhubarb compote, followed by a generous spoonful of crumble mixture.

Put the muffin tray on a large baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake the muffins for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Leave the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chai Muffins

It's Friday morning and I can already smell the weekend from here... And the weekend smells like freshly extracted coffee and baked bread.  It smells like the sea and the market.  It smells like filter coffee poured from a Thermos and fudgy chocolate cake, hand-held and eaten in the chill of the Autumn air.  It smells like bubble bath and red wine.  It smells like spiced tea and muffins, still warm from the oven... It's okay if I start a day early, yeah?

Chai Muffins

slightly adapted from here

Makes 12

225ml mil of your choice (I used low fat cows milk)

2 Chai teabags

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

400g spelt flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

150g light muscovado sugar

75g natural almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

2 eggs

150ml sunflower oil

Preheat the oven to 200C.  Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper liners.  Set aside.

Tear the teabags open and tip the tea leaves into a saucepan.  Add the milk and cinnamon and heat over a medium flame until just at simmering point.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Put the flour, baking powder, sugar and most of the chopped almonds (reserving some for sprinkling) into a mixing bowl and stir it together.

Once the milk is cool, add the eggs and oil and whisk to combine.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined.  Don't over mix.

Divide the batter between the paper liners and sprinkle with the reserved chopped nuts.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Sour Cream, Pecan and Cinnamon Mini Loaves

Sometimes I think I should just open a coffee shop and be in my happy place all the time.

Sour Cream, Pecan and Cinnamon Mini Loaves

slightly adapted from here

Makes 8

For the Topping:

50g dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

90g toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Dark chocolate, melted for drizzling

For the Loaves:

1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped

125g soft unsalted butter

Zest of 1 orange

275g caster sugar

3 eggs

140ml sour cream

160g self raising flour

Make the Topping:

Put the sugar, spices and nuts into a bowl and mix.  Set aside.

Make the Loaves:

Preheat the oven to 190C.  Spray an 8-hole mini loaf pan with cooking oil spray and line each little pan with baking paper.  Set aside.

Put the vanilla seeds, butter, orange zest and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddles attachment and beat until just combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add the sour cream and flour.  Mix until fully incorporated.

Divide half the batter between the pans.  Sprinkle the batter with half of the topping mixture.  Divide the remaining batter between the pans and sprinkle with the remaining topping.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Leave in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.  When just warm, drizzle with melted dark chocolate and scoff.

Caramel Mini Loaves with Caramel Fudge Frosting

I'm pretty sure morning tea wasn't invented so we could delight in the munching of carrot sticks. I'm almost certain that afternoon tea wasn't created so we could boost our daily intake of fibre in the form of celery ribs. Surely morning and afternoon coffee breaks were designed around Caramel Mini Loaves with Caramel Fudge Frosting? And if they weren't, then I don't want to play.

NOTE:  This is an update from an earlier post.


Caramel Mini Loaves with Caramel Fudge Frosting
slightly adapted from here
Makes 8

For the Mini Loaves:
60ml maple syrup
160ml buttermilk
120g dark brown sugar (I used dark muscovado sugar)
150g unsalted butter, chopped
75g white chocolate, chopped
150g plain flour, sifted
50g self-raising flour, sifted
1 egg

For the Frosting:
175g dark brown sugar (I used dark muscovado sugar)
100g unsalted butter, chopped
1/4 teaspoon table salt
60ml buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
160g icing sugar, sifted


Make the Mini Loaves:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.  Spray a 1 x 8 mini loaf pan with cooking oil spray and line with strips of baking paper. Set aside.

Put the maple syrup, buttermilk, sugar, butter and white chocolate into a medium saucepan and place over low heat.  Stir until the mixture melts.  Remove from heat and leave to cool to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, add the both flours, mix until just combined.  Add the egg and mix until just incorporated.

Divide the batter between the loaf molds and bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Divide the mixture between 12 muffin tins lined with paper cases. Bake for 18 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Leave them in the molds for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:
Put the sugar, butter and salt into a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.  Turn the heat up to high, add the buttermilk and vanilla and boil for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the icing sugar, beating to combine and until it becomes smooth.  Immediately pour it over the mini loaves.  All the frosting to set for about 20 minutes before serving.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

When I called for volunteers to help me with the photo shoot for this post, my two sons moved faster than Clark Griswold with sled wax.


Note: Originally published in December 2013.  I've updated the photos and revamped the recipe.

Gingerbread Cupcakes
Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
115g softened unsalted butter
1/2 dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 cup water

For the Frosting:
90g unsalted butter, at room temperature
115g cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon milk
Sprinkles for decorating

Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Put the flour, baking powder, spices and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk with a hand whisk to combine, aerate and get rid of any lumps.

Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Add the molasses and egg and beat again to combine. Add half the water, then half the dry mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining water and dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the paper cases. Bake for 20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning them out into a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and cinnamon and mix on low until incorporated. Add a little milk to give you a piping consistency and beat for about 2 minutes on medium-high speen until it's whipped and light.

Spoon the frosting into a piping bag with a large star nozzle and pipe swirls onto of the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with...um, sprinkles.

Choc Chunk, Zucchini and Poppy Seed Muffins

I kinda travelled through a wormhole to get this post out.  You see, most days my blog posts reflect what I've/we've eaten that day, but I made these muffins a while ago and the photos have been sitting in my, ahem... filing system, forgotten and Lost in Space.  I stumbled across them while I was doing some filing and decided Maureen, John, Don, Judy, Penny, Will, Dr. Smith and The Robot shouldn't be the only ones to enjoy these (inter)stellar muffins.




Choc Chunk, Zucchini and Poppy Seed Muffins
Makes 12

180g grape seed oil
50g coconut sugar
150g golden caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine Pink Himalaya salt
Zest of one orange
3 eggs
90g wholemeal flour
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/12 teaspoons ground cinnamon
260g coarsely grated zucchini
140g walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
100g dark chocolate chunks
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Demerara sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 180C.  Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners.  Set aside.

Put the oil, coconut sugar, golden caster sugar, salt, orange zest and eggs into a bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, stir the wholemeal flour, plain flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together.  Add the oil mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Gently stir in the zucchini, walnuts, chocolate chunks and poppy seeds.

Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners and sprinkle the tops with Demerara sugar.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the muffins are brown and spring back when lightly touched in the middle.

Leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.  Delicious on their own or split and smeared with softened cream cheese.