CLASSIC VANILLA MUFFINS
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A deceptively simple recipe for soft, airy, and buttery vanilla muffins that double up as tea cakes.
Before you roll your eyes and discard these muffins as 'too plain', wait until you taste them. They are tender, moist, and lightly sweet muffins that need little or no frills. Every kitchen needs a perfect basic muffin recipe. If you are an amateur baker, this is also a good place to start.
MUFFINS VS CUPCAKES
Although it is tempting to think that cupcakes are nothing but muffins with frosting, they are surprisingly quite different.
The batter for muffins is dense while for cupcakes the batter is smooth and airy resulting in the fluff. Muffins contain less sugar and can be sweet or savory. It can be made with bacon, vegetables, and fruits, and it can contain a filling of nuts, chocolate, or fruits.
There is no frosting on the muffin. On the other hand, a cupcake is a cake that can be eaten in a bite, and it’s always topped with frosting. All cupcakes are sweet, and they almost never have a filling.
The way they are eaten also differs. Cupcakes are eaten cold while muffins can be eaten both hot or cold.
Simply put, muffins are miniature bread and cupcakes are bite-sized cakes.
ORIGIN OF MUFFINS
The term muffin probably originated from the French word moufflet, meaning soft bread, or stemmed from the German word muffe meaning a small cake. While it is almost impossible to say when the first muffin was made, the word muffin first appeared in print in the early 18th century, and recipes began to be published in the middle of the 18th century.
The first English muffin was made in New York in the 19th Century. An English baker by the name Samuel Bath Thomas opened up a bakery in modern-day Chelsea where he baked an item called the toaster crumpet. This toaster crumpet was soon referred to as the English muffin, and the trend continues till this day.
Today, different kinds of muffins are available across the world. We have savory muffins, which are far from the original dessert treats; they contain anything from spinach, cheese, eggs, to even meats. Then, of course, we have classic muffins like blueberry, chocolate, banana nut, and more. While you probably don’t have a muffin man peddling freshly baked muffins in your neighborhood, you can certainly treat yourself to one at your favorite coffee shop or better still make one at home. With a lot of history behind it and made with love, come let us quickly get to the most basic muffin recipe.
FUN FACTS ABOUT MUFFINS
Remember the nursery rhyme 'Do you know the muffin man that lives on Drury Lane'? I sure do! But it's not all fiction, during the 19th century, these muffin men peddled their goodies across the town streets for real. Around the teatime, they rang their bells to announce their arrival which many people found annoying. So much so that in the 1840s the muffin man's bell was prohibited by the Act of Parliament, but the prohibition was ineffective.
Well, muffins are a real deal! Can you believe that in the United States, three states have official muffins? Minnesota has blueberry muffins, Massachusetts has corn muffins, and New York has apple muffins.
ABOUT THE RECIPE
The Vanilla Muffins are super moist, delectable, and deceptively easy to make from scratch. You probably have all the ingredients for this recipe in your pantry already. These simple muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness which makes them go well with a cup of coffee or tea. It also serves as a perfect base for your favorite cupcake toppings.
INGREDIENTS
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you probably already have, so whipping a tasty treat is only minutes away:
- Flour - I have used all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder - It acts as a leavening agent.
- Egg - For the best muffins, make sure the egg is at room temperature.
- Sugar - I have used white granulated sugar
- Vanilla - I have used a good quality pure vanilla extract for this recipe.
- Milk - I have used whole milk (at room temperature) for a tender texture.
- Butter - Melted unsalted butter, make sure it is at room temperature before making the muffins.
- Salt
HOW TO MAKE IT?
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with liners and set it aside.
- Whisk the dry ingredients flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and eggs until well combined and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients in small batches and fold and mix until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
VARIATIONS
- Berry Muffins - Stir in a cup of fresh berries of your choice to the batter and fold, proceed as usual.
- Orange Muffins - Replace ¼ cup of the milk with orange juice. Stir in 3 tablespoons of chopped candied orange.
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Fold in a cup of diced apples and add 2 tsp of cinnamon powder to the batter. For best results, use brown sugar instead of white sugar.
- Fruit Preserve Muffins - Fill the muffin cups with a few tablespoons of batter and then add about 1 teaspoon of your favorite fruit preserves. Top the preserves with the remaining batter.
- Chocochip Muffins - Stir in a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with the batter.
- Nutty Muffins - Add half a cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or your favorite nuts to the batter.
- Carrot and Ginger Muffins - Stir in a cup of shredded carrot and 2 tablespoons of candied ginger into the batter.
- Lemon and Chia Muffins - Replace ¼ cup of the milk with fresh lemon juice. Stir in the zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can oil be used instead of butter?
Yes, you may use any vegetable oil or canola oil as a replacement for butter but keep in mind that the use of butter leads to a softer texture.
Alternatively, you may also use a combination of oil and butter.
How can I make this gluten-free?
You may use gluten-free baking flour to make gluten-free muffins.
What can be used as a replacement for whole milk?
You may use buttermilk, sour cream, or plain yogurt in place of whole milk.
What can be used as a substitute for eggs?
As a substitute for an egg, you can use a mixture of 2 tbsp of water, 1 tsp vegetable oil, and 2 tsp of baking powder.
How much should the cupcake liners be filled?
Fill only half the liners. The thin batter will rise a lot so, if the cupcake liners are too full, the cupcakes will overflow. This would lead to cupcakes with crisp mushroom tops sinking in the center. You will not get that beautiful, dome-shaped cupcakes that look so appetizing.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
These simple vanilla muffins are a perfect accompaniment with a cup of tea or coffee. I also like to serve these with raspberry or strawberry preserves, marmalades, or my favorite mixed-fruit jam. You can also drizzle the cooled muffins with some honey for a little more sweetness or just sprinkle some icing sugar!
My daughter uniquely enjoys them with a combination of sour cream and strawberry compote! Kids are weird!! What's your favorite way to eat a muffin? Share in the comments section.
STORING SUGGESTIONS
You may store the muffins in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 3 days, or you may refrigerate them for up to 1 week.
The muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw on the countertop before serving or thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may also microwave the frozen muffins for about 45 seconds before serving.
CLASSIC VANILLA MUFFINS
Ingredients
- 1 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with liners and set it aside.
- Whisk the dry ingredients flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and eggs until well combined and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients in small batches and fold and mix until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes:
- Test your muffins for doneness with a toothpick. It should come out clean when done.
- Let muffins cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- You may add more sugar if you prefer sweeter muffins.
Calories
302.71Fat (grams)
17.00Sat. Fat (grams)
10.22Carbs (grams)
33.91Fiber (grams)
0.56Net carbs
33.35Sugar (grams)
17.85Protein (grams)
4.00Sodium (milligrams)
115.59Cholesterol (grams)
73.70The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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