Lemon (or Lime) Poppyseed Cake/Muffins

The neat thing about this recipe, make muffins instead and you will be a big hit, add some lemon icing on top when hot out of the oven and it melts all down the sides. Trust me, you will love these.

 

  • 3 3/4 cups flour
  • 2  1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • pinch of salt 1  1/2 cups  unsalted butter
  • 2  1/2 cups sugar
  • 7 large eggs, beaten
  • 1  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3/4 tsp. each of lemon and lime grated peel (1  1/2 tsp if just one or the other)
  • 1/2 cup poppyseeds

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray muffin tins with butter flavoured pam spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In your electric mixer cream the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and beat for another 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all is blended. Gradually drizzle the eggs and beat until it is smooth and fluffy. Reduce the speed on the mixer and slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Be sure to start and end with the flour.

Scrape down the bowl and then add the poppyseeds and citrus zest. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (I use the large muffin tins – I never use the smaller ones) and check at 20 minutes and then every 5 minutes until cooked through.

Remove from oven and let sit for a couple of minutes to cool down, run a knife carefully around the edges and invert. Turn them right-side up and let cool on racks

.   Lemon Glaze

  • 1  1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
  • 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon OR lime juice

Place in a bowl and, using a small whisk, mix until completely smooth. Drizzle over hot muffins. YUMMMMMMMMY!

Cinnamon Toffee Muffins

Aha! Another muffin recipe and this is a yummy one. What is better than cinnamon and toffee? okay, I know…chocolate but that’s another story.

 

  • 7 tbsp. room temperature butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1  1/2 cups flour
  • 1  1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 oz. cinnamon chips (new on market here)
  • 4 oz. English toffee bits
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (this is a lower temperature than most muffins are baked in). Prepare muffin tins with nonstick spray and set aside.

Combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until pale in colour and smooth in texture.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture in two additions alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir until just moistened and fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full. The batter, of course, will be lumpy.

Streusel Topping

  • 2 tbsp. flour
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. softened butter

Cut the butter into the above ingredients until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Place a generous tablespoon on top of each muffin and gently press to adhere.

Bake for about 20 minutes (check for doneness) and let stand for about 5 minutes before unmolding on a wire rack to cool.

Apple Streusel Muffins

This recipe is in my cookbook “The B & B Cookbook” (order from Amazon or your local library) and it is truly a great morning ‘waker-upper’.

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1  1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1  1/2 cups chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the sugar and stir to combine.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla and stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened (batter will be stiff). Fold in the chopped apples.

Grease muffin tins and fill them 3/4 full.

Streusel Topping

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. flour

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. cold butter

Combine the ingredients and cut in the butter until very crumbly.   Sprinkle evenly over all the muffins and gently press to adhere.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick and if it comes out clean…done

Cool for five minutes before removing to a rack. One more thing….

Glaze

1  1/2 cups sifted icing sugar

1-2 tbsp. cream (not milk)

1 tsp. melted butter

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Mix together until combined and smooth. Drizzle over the muffins. Need I say – OMG these are good.

Coffee any one?

 

Pumpkin Muffins

When you have finished baking the pumpkin pies and you find you have more pumpkin puree than you need, try these….they are a little tastes of yummy goodness in the morning. Who could ask for more? Great for Christmas morning breakfast.

 

  • 1  3/4 cup sifted flour
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1  1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp. finely chopped candied ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1/4 cup Crisco oil
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla

Grease your muffin tins well. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients, including the chopped pecans.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, oil and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until moistened.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack and top with the following icing.

  • 1/2 pkg of cream cheese (light cream cheese can be used)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. icing sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla
  • crushed pecans

Beat together until light and fluffy. Ice muffins and sprinkle with some crushed pecans.

 

Blackberry and Lime Muffins

I am so used to making muffins that, since we moved, I don’t make them as much but I still make them whenever and as often as I can. This one is a really nice recipe. It is actually a take on my blueberry muffins (from my cookbook).

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • grated rind of one lime
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, not margarine

1 pint of fresh blackberries (I use 1 -2 tbsp. sugar sprinkled over the top and lighty tossed) to eliminate the really sour bite. Omit it if you wish.

Preheat oven to 425 and spray Pam on your muffin tins and set aside.

In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, grated lime, salt and baking powder. Melt the butter in a glass measuring cup and add the milk. Whisk in the egg and, after making a well in the dry ingredients, add the liquids all at once.

Carefully, fold this together (do not over mix). Fold in the blackberries. I use an ice cream scoop to fill the tins. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. They should be lightly golden on top. Test to be sure they are cooked.

Turn out on a cooling rack and place a large dollop of cream cheese icing mixed with 1 tbsp. whipping cream over the top to melt and slide down the sides of the muffin. The use of the whipping cream takes away the sweetness attack from the icing.

Absolute heaven and your house smells fabulous. Now…..what do you take in yourcoffee?

 

** Splenda size envelopes as what you would find in restaurants for your coffee.

Strawberry Cream Muffins

These would be a great asset for the ‘girls’ when they drop in for the usual visit to catch up on everything.

 

  • 1 cup Crisco oil
  • 3/4 cup 1% Greek vanilla yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla flavouring
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup strawberry jam (homemade is always best)
  • coarse sugar to sprinkle over the top

Spray muffin tin really well. This calls for 18 regular size or 12 medium muffins.

Whisk together the oil, yogurt, eggs, zest and vanilla.

Sift together all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the center.  Pour in the liquid mixture and mix just until all is moistened.  Divide equally into the muffins tins.

Sprinkle some coarse sugar over the batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until done.  Transfer to a rack after 15 minutes and let cool completely.

Remove from muffin tin and slice the top off the muffin.  Spread an equal amount of Mascarpone and a dollop of jam on each and replace the top.

Get the coffee ready or pot of tea, call the girls over and chat away. Lovely interlude in the afternoon.

Enjoy!

Raspberry-Sour Cream Muffins

Here is another muffin recipe to add to the cache you are collecting.

 

  • 1  1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup Crisco Oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. almond flavouring
  • 1 generous cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 2  1/4 cups flour
  • 1  1/2 cups raspberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans ( or pistachios for a pretty contrast in colours)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat the brown sugar, oil, egg,  almond flavoring and sour cream well to combine.

Sift the dry ingredients and slowly add to the creamed mixture, but do not over mix.  Fold in the raspberries and pecans.

Bake in texas size muffin pans that have been sprayed with Pam for 20-25 minutes.

While hot, ice the tops with cream cheese icing and let it melt and run down the sides. This way you get the taste of sweet but not thick like a cake.

Cheese and Bacon Muffins

This will make 6 large muffins. These are absolutely marvelous when served with scrambled eggs.

 

 

  • 8 strips of bacon, reserving drippings
  • 1  1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups grated Balderson’s Cheddar Cheese
  • 3 tbsp. melted butter
  • 3 tbsp. bacon drippings
  • l large egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup grated Balderson’s Cheddar Cheese for topping.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook  to crisp and drain bacon,  reservings the drippings.  When cool, crumble the bacon.

Combine the  first six ingredients.  Melt the butter and add to the drippings.  In a medium bowl, beat the egg lightly with the milk and add to the butter/bacon dripping mixture.

Now add this to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly being careful not to over mix.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and sprinkle the grated cheese on top.  Bake for twenty minutes.  Scramble some eggs, add a juice and/or coffee.  This is getting one step closer to heaven……

Free-stone Peach Muffins

I say free-stone because they are, by far, the sweetest peaches around. My own opinion, of course, but….

My grandaughters came for a short visit this weekend and I made these muffins. After all, it is the season for them and so inexpensive to purchase.

 

You need:

  • 2 cups of finely chopped, peeled fresh peaches
  • 1  1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup of soft butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. almond flavouring
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 cups flour (true)
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • healthy pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp. cold butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 6 large muffins tins and 12 regular size muffin pan with Pam.

Place the peaches in a bowl and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over them and set aside (No, it will not be too sweet). Mix together and let sit for one hour or so.

Beat together for about 4 minutes, the butter and remaining cup of sugar until pale in colour  and really smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time beating until fluffy. Add the almond flavouring.

Using an electric mixer, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together.  Add the egg mixture being careful not to over mix. This will be stiff. Carefully fold in the peaches.

Fill the muffins tins equally and in a small bowl combine the balance of the flour, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until it resembles a crumb like texture. Place a tablespoon over the top of each one and if there is any left over, just add it to the muffins.

Place in the oven and bake for 20 – 23 minutes until golden brown. Run a knife around the edges of each muffin and remove to a wire rack. Serve these warm with butter and there won’t be any left over. I mention this because the kids took the rest home to eat on the way and also have for their supper. What can I say? I have clever grandkids.

Banana White Chocolate Muffins

This is one sure way to get your potassium…..gotta love those bananas and this is another way to do that.

You will need:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup Crisco oil
  • 4 pureed bananas
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1/3 cup grated white chocolate
  • 1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a bowl, blend eggs, oil, bananas and milk.  In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, white chocolate and pecans.

Make a well in the centre and add the milk  mixture.  Stir only until moistened.

Fill prepared muffin tin 3/4 full.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until they turn a light golden colour.

These are delicious and  fits into the “other” food group….chocolate. Just ask any woman.

Enjoy.