Banana Walnuts Chocolate Chips Muffins

Of course muffins can be served as any time snacks.  But we love to have them for our brekkie. Quick and easy banana walnut muffins with some chocolate chips added.  Ain't get enough of these nutty aromatic sweet banana muffins to kick start the day.

Recipe adapted from : simply recipes
Below my slight modifications made.
Banana Walnuts Chocolate Chips Muffins
Ingredients yields 12 muffins
75g unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
200g, about 3 ripe bananas, thoroughly mashed
90g castor sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee (optional)

Dry ingredients A
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
168g self raising flour

Dry ingredients B
80g chopped walnuts (toasted or raw)
35g mini chocolate chips

Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Position the rack in the middle. The temperature of the oven may vary, do adjust the temperature and timing to suit your oven.

Line a 12 muffin pan with paper liners or use individual muffin cups.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients A.

Mash the bananas in a bowl. Add the mashed bananas into the melted butter, followed by castor sugar, egg, coffee and vanilla extract and whisk to combine with a manual whisk,

With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients A just until combined. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough muffins).  Quickly fold in the dry ingredients B.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 180°C  for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack or serve warm.

Enjoy !

Lemon Yogurt Mini Bunny Cubes

Have you ever thought of baking mini cakes or muffins using Origami instead of the usual ready store bought muffin or cupcake liners? I’m sure you will love these mini DIY cakes using Origami technique. 

When my kids were young (probably age 4 to 6), we loved spending our leisure time in folding Origami together. Click here to find out about Origami.  With the tutorial instructions given on the book, it was not too difficult to use colourful Origami papers to fold simple shapes like heart, boat, flowers to slightly complicated steps for cute animals/insects like cow, dog, cat and butterfly, dragonfly etc.  Sometimes we would fold simple shapes and pasted them on DIY birthday cards for their kindergarten friends. 

Ever since they have grown up, we hardly … or rather, never make Origami together.

Inspired by Parchment Bunny Cubes the bunnies were folded in Origami, I lay my hands on Origami again … to have some fun in baking mini cakes with DIY parchment paper folded like bunny. I tried out just 4 …. Cut the size of parchment paper 20cm x 20cm.  Refer here for folding balloon rabbit 

Since we like loved the fragrant Rosemary Lemon Yogurt Cake, and easy to bake ... I modified slightly to make as mini cakes.

Lemon Yogurt Mini Bunny Cubes 

Make 7 mini cakes (3 cupcakes & 4 Origami bunny cubes)

Ingredients A

65g caster sugar

125g yogurt

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon zest of lemon

Ingredients B

100g self-raising flour (sifted)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Method:

1) Position the rack in the center and preheat oven to 190°C.

2) Put all the ingredients A in a medium size mixing bowl and whisk together until incorporated.

3) Add in the sifted flour and the rest of ingredients B to the mixing bowl. Whisk until no lumps remain. Pour the batter into piping bag, pipe through the small hole (nose) to about slightly more than half for the bunny.  Fill the cupcake liner to about ¾ full.  Place all onto a baking tray.

4) Bake for about 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake if it comes out clean.

5) Transfer the bunny cubes and muffin cups to wire rack for cooling.  Serve warm if you like.

Note :

1) I made a slight mess on the spilled batter around the "nose". So I thought to 'camouflage' the unslightly stain by covering it with mini chocolate chip. It didn't help as it  become dark and clearly visible. I should have wiped clean the pipping nozzle.

2) The temperature of the oven may vary, do adjust accordingly.

I'm sure this Origami Bunny cubes will be a fun & crafty DIY baking-together with young children ^-^!

Enjoy and have fun in Origami baking !

Peach & Cream Cheese Muffins



It was raining heavily outside when baked some muffins.  So timely to serve those freshly baked muffins on the plate which printed "Rainy Day" that I had bought from Daiso :)

 









 

Recipe adapted from :

Baking Equals Love
Below my slight modification made in using self-raising flour, replaced apricot with peach and reduced the quantity of some ingredients.

Peach & Cream Cheese Muffins
Makes 9 muffins

Dry ingredients A
160g self-raising flour (sifted)
1/2 teaspoon salt
90g caster sugar

Wet ingredients B
100 ml fresh milk
50g canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 peach halves (canned peach), drained
60g - 70g cream cheese diced into 9 cubes

Method :
1. Position the rack in the center and preheat oven to 190°C. (The temperature of the oven may vary, do adjust accordingly).
Place 9 cupcake liners in a 12 cup muffin tray, set aside. Or you could just use muffin cups.

2. Drain the peaches, give a brief rinse and pat dry with kitchen towel. Dice 3 peach halves and set aside. Slice 2 peach halves into slices to decorate the batter top. 

3. Dry ingredients : Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk briefly. Make a well in the centre.

4. Wet ingredients : In a large measuring jug or bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients B. Pour the mixture in the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula a few times to combine. Add the diced peaches and fold in quickly and gently until only just mixed. Do not over mix. The end result of over-mixing is a tough texture.

5. Spoon the batter into the baking cups using an ice-cream scoop. Fill about 3/4 full. Gently push each cubed cream cheese into the middle of each muffin, making sure the cream cheese is covered by muffin mixture.  Place a slice of peach on top.

6. Bake at 190°C for 22 - 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tray and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm and best eaten warm on the day of baking. If unable to consume all within the day, refrigerate the muffins in air-tight container and warm it up the next day.

The texture of most muffins are usually dense and some drier but these muffins turned out slightly moist and fluffy.  I absolutely enjoy this kinda fruity cheesy muffin ... a slightly crisps crust with light fluffy soft texture.  More so with a cup of hot coffee on a rainy day :)

Hope for more sunshine for the coming weekends.  Happy Baking :)

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Simply quick & easy some warm freshly baked muffins for our brekkie .... nothing special but these are my family's favourite ... banana muffins with some added oatmeal :)

Recipe source : Joy of Baking
Slightly modified version below as I've replaced the nuts with rolled oats and halved the recipe.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients:
35 grams instant rolled oats
100 grams all-purpose plain flour, sifted
45 grams caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
50 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 ripe bananas, mashed well
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Position the rack in the center. Grease a 6 holes muffin pan, or line with paper liners.
(The temperature of the oven may vary, do adjust accordingly).

2) Dry ingredients : In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and instant rolled oats.

3) Wet ingredients : In a large measuring jug or bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.

4) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Fold in with a rubber spatula and stir only until the ingredients are combined and the batter is thick and chunky. Do not over mix the batter or tough muffins will result.

5) Pour batter into a prepared muffin tin or paper liners. Bake for 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin if it comes out clean.

6) Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then remove muffins from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

We never get tired of banana muffins. With any combinations ... they always taste great. With the added rolled oats, definitely a healthier brekkie to kick start our day!

Love these slightly crispy crust with fluffy soft texture and full of banana sweet aroma ! Happy Baking ^-^!

Berry & Mango Buttermilk Muffins

"Muffins in the morning !"
Yes, for quick and easy bake, muffins is always one of our favorites weekday brekkie ^-^

Recipe source : Taste.com (Lucy Nunes)
Below slightly modified version as I've halved the recipe / adjustment made in blue.
Berry & Mango Buttermilk Muffins
Ingredients
280g self-raising flour {140g}
65g caster sugar {30g}
330g buttermilk {165g}
54g olive oil {20g}
1 egg (the size of my egg is 55g each with shell) 
200g mixed frozen berries (I used 60g fresh blueberries + 30g dried cranberries)
1 small mango, peeled, sliced (cut 1 cheek from mango)

Method :
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C. Position the rack in the centre.
Line a 6-hole muffin pan with paper cases.

Step 2
Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Whisk buttermilk, oil and egg together in a jug. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until just combined (mixture should still be lumpy). Fold in berries. Spoon into prepared cases. Top with mango slices.

Step 3
Bake for 25 minutes or check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake if it comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes, remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy ... with a cup of coffee for me ^-^!

~~~♡♡♡~♡~♡♡♡~~~

 

Linking this post to the event Little Thumbs Up (November 2015 Event: Mango) organised by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Mui Mui (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Jozelyn Ng (Spice Up My Kitchen)

Chocolate Muffins

My big kids love anything chocolates ...
Baked these quick & easy warm chocolate muffins for our brekkie :D

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking, below my slightly modified version as I've halved the recipe and reduced the amount of sugar.

Chocolate Muffins:
Yields 6 muffins
50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
100g buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
110g all-purpose flour
30g unsweetened cocoa powder
60g light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
65g milk or semisweet chocolate chips (I used chocolate chips)
Snow powder for dusting (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. (I adjusted my oven to 180ºC). Position rack in center of oven. Butter the muffin pan, or line with paper liners.

In a large measuring cup or bowl whisk together the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.

In another large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together : flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Fold in with a rubber spatula and stir only until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix the batter or tough muffins will result.

Evenly fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop.

Ha ha ! A patch of brown !

Bake for about 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it's done. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Dust with some snow powder (a touch of make-up ... hee.. hee .. "white foundation") ... Enjoy !

Happy baking ^-^ !

 

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (August 2015 : Brown Sugar and Molasses) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Jess from Bakericious.

Banana Nut Muffins

Quick fix for our morning brekkie ... Banana nut muffins :D

Recipe adapted from : Simply Recipes with slight changes made in blue below.

Banana Nut muffins
Ingredients :
2 to 3 ripe bananas, smashed
70g melted unsalted butter
145g caster sugar (I reduced to 90g)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon strong brewed coffee or espresso, or a pinch of instant coffee granules mixed with a tablespoon of water (optional)
(I added 1 tablespoon brewed coffee)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
190g plain all-purpose flour
172g chopped walnuts (toasted or raw) (I used 70g silvered almonds)

Method :
1) Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Position the rack in the center.
With a wooden spoon, mix melted butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.

2) Mix in the sugar, egg, coffee and vanilla.

3) Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.

4) Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in the nuts.

5) Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it's done. Cool on a wire rack.

Yum yum ! nice freshly baked Banana Nut Muffins ... served warm and enjoy !

Sour Cream Chip Muffins

The usual quick fix for our brekkie, baked some quick & easy muffins on one of the weeknights.

Recipe and baking instructions adapted from Taste of home
I halved the recipe to make 6 as I left with just some sour cream in the fridge.

Sour Cream Chip Muffins (6 muffins)
Ingredients
75g all-purpose flour
40g caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 egg
60g sour cream
35g butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
55g mint or semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1) In a large bowl, using a manual whisk to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2) Combine the egg, sour cream, butter and vanilla in a bowl or small jug. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3) Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 180°C for 18-20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin if it comes out clean.
The temperature of the oven may vary, do adjust accordingly.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack for cooling.

Tasted wonderfully soft and moist even on the 2nd day !

Happy baking ^-^ !

♡~~♡~~♡

 

Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up Event : June 2015 Theme Cream

Organized by 

Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from my little favourite DIY

and hosted by Diana from The Domestic Goddess Wannabe

Peanut Butter Oat & Pine Nuts Muffins

I've always associated pine trees with Christmas. In the past, I bought an artificial pine tree ... decorated with lights, ornaments and nicely wrapped Christmas presents were placed under the tree. It was also an activity that my kids (when they were kiddies) loved ... to help decorate the Christmas tree in our house.  Stored it up when the period was over.

About 2 years ago, I was on a business trip to Germany.  Had the opportunity to visit the dense woodland of the Black Forest - Schwarzwald.  Along the way up to the mountain, catching the glimpse of the dense surrounding of pine trees. Truly a wonderful scenic to enjoy. Of course! A slice of an unforgettable Black Forest cake !

So, do pine nuts come from pine trees? Yes (more info here) pine nuts are found inside the scales on pine tree cones. Here, I've added some pine nuts to this muffin recipe. (Realised that I didn't have any peanuts which I thought I have a pack inside the pantry)

Very festive looking ....   

Recipe adapted from : Taste of home
Below my modified version as I've halved the recipe, replaced with pine nuts and added some peanut butter chips.

Peanut Butter Oat & Pine Nuts Muffins
Yield: 5 muffins
Ingredients:
80g all-purpose flour
30g quick-cooking oats
60g packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt salt
1 small egg
20g peanut butter
100ml milk
20g pine nuts (Roast pine nuts for 3mins in preheated oven at 180°C, set aside)
20g peanut butter chips

Directions
1) In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2) In another bowl, beat the egg, peanut butter and milk until smooth.

3) Stir into dry ingredients (from step 1) just until moistened. Fold in pine nuts and peanut butter chips.

4) Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 180°C for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

These nice peanut butter and oat fragrance with some nutty pine nuts muffins are best served warm for our brekkie.

Hope you will enjoy these warm and easy muffins during the Christmas season ^-^!

Happy baking !

I'm submitting this post to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014), organized by Yen from Eat your heart out, Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

And

I'm submitting this post to "My Treasured Recipes #4 - Ho Ho Ho It's Christmas (Dec 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House. 

Also

I'm joining Best Recipes for Everyone December 2014 Event Theme: My Little Cupcakes by Fion of Xuan Hom's Mom

Jam-Doughnut Muffins Bake-Along #71

I've not tasted doughnut muffin ... I'm not too crazy about doughnut actually.
And I've yet to try out any doughnut recipe. But occasionally I would pop-by bakery shops to buy a few doughnuts for my kids.

I've missed a few 'Bake Along' sessions with the three ladies. Seeing those lovely and yummy Jam-Doughnut Muffins baked by them and our friends here definitely had inspired me to learn and bake along with them too ^-^!

Hee hee... I'm kinda lazy to wash the muffin pan ... hee .. hee ... use the disposable aluminium foil cups ! (Clever me ... >○<)

Aiyoh ! Half of the jam doughnut muffins 'vomitted blood' from the sides (the strawberry jam oozed out).

Jam-Doughnut Muffins
(adapted from Nigella Lawson here) with slight modification in blue

Ingredients
125ml milk
85ml corn oil or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
200gm self-raising flour
100gm caster sugar (I used 60gm)
12 teaspoons strawberry jam (or any of your favourite jam)

Coating
100gm unsalted butter
150gm granulated sugar + 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a 6-hole muffin pan. (I used 8 disposal aluminium foil cups)

With a fork or hand whisk, beat together the milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract. Stir this into the flour and 60gm sugar to just combine. (It doesn’t matter there are lumps as if you overbeat the batter, the muffins will be hard and tough.)

Spoon the mixture into each muffin mould so that its just under a third full. Then with a teaspoon add a dollop of strawberry jam - about the size of a fat lima bean- then top with more muffin mix so that the cases are just about full.

Put them in a preheated oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until the tops feel springy and resistant and the muffins have puffed up into little toadstools.
(Ha ha ! Mine are quite flat-headed)

For the coating :  Melt the butter. Combine the extra sugar and the cinnamon in a large bowl. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, brush each muffin (top only) with the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Serve while still a little warm.

Couldn't wait to try them ... truly yummy .. soft and tender crumbs ^-^!

Have a great weekend !

Bake-Along #71 : Jam Doughnut Muffins

  I am linking this post to the Bake Along event created by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours,  Lena of Frozen Wings and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids

Cranberry Coconut Streusel Muffins

These muffins are so "plain" looking. With the coconut streusel topping ... really don't know how to "dress" them up to make them look more appealing.  

Okay, just decorate them with some chocolates and chocolate Pocky! 

Do they looked like the sandy desert to you ? Ha ... ha ! Well ... I really don't know what they looked like .... I just 'dress' them with whatever "deemed appropriate props" I could find on the dining table.

Recipe source: Joy of Baking Blueberry Streusel Muffins with changes made in some ingredients (omitted blueberries as didn't have any on hand), my modified version below :

Cranberry Coconut Streusel Muffins:
Makes 6 muffins
Ingredients
1 large egg
100ml fresh milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
190 grams all purpose flour
70g grams raw light brown sugar
1 teaspoonbaking powder
Pinch of salt
50 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
40g dried cranberries
20g dessicated coconut
1.5 tablespoon unsalted butter - melted to make streusel

Method
1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Place rack in center of oven.

2) Line 6 muffin cups with paper liners or lightly butter the muffin cups or spray them with a non stick vegetable spray.

3) In a bowl whisk the egg with the milk and vanilla extract.

4) In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, dessicated coconut and salt.

5) Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, your fingertips, or two knives. (The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.) Remove 60 grams of the mixture and set aside in a separate bowl to make the streusel topping.

6) To the remaining muffin batter, gently fold in the dried cranberries. Add the milk and egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined. (Do not over mix this mixture or the muffins will be tough when baked.) Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full with the batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop.

7) Bake the muffins for about 18 - 23 minutes or until firm and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool before serving.

Streusel Topping:
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and stir into the reserved one cup 60 grams of flour mixture until it is crumbly and looks like coarse meal. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the streusel on top of each muffin.

These muffins are at their best the day they're made, but they can be covered and stored at room temperature for about 2 days.

Girl : why decorated 3 muffins only ?
Mom : no more Pocky ....
Girl : why decorated with green colour chocolate?
Mom : green colour like cactus ....
Girl : Ha ha hah ! Cactus?! ... don't look like it !
Mom : ~-~ speechless !

Have a great weekend ^-^!

Submitting this post to "My Treasured Recipes #3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

Apple & Oat muffins

I like to bake some healthy oatmeal muffins ... I want to add some fruits to the muffins too .... Ah ha! Apple + Oat ! That's because I've got a new pack of rolled oats and some apples 'idling' in the fruit basket ... lol !

Recipe source from Taste.com  I halved the recipe and made few slight modifications to suit our taste. Please visit Taste.com for the full recipe.

Apple & Oat Muffins (makes 6)
Ingredients:
70g self-raising flour
70 plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
60g light muscovado sugar
20g rolled oats, plus 1 tablespoon extra
100ml natural yogurt, at room temperature
1 egg, lightly beaten
50ml light olive oil
1 red or green apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Method :
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 6 cups muffin pan with cooking spray or line with muffin cases.

Step 2
Sift flours and baking powder together. Stir in sugar and rolled oats.
Whisk yogurt, egg and oil together. Add to flour, mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Step 3
Divide mixture evenly into muffin pans until three-quarters full. Gently push slices of apple into mixture until covered and sprinkle with extra rolled oats.

Step 4
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden in colour and cooked when tested (insert a toothpick and it comes out clean). Cool for 5 minutes in pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.

Yum yum .... tasted fluffy soft with some apple crisp.  Complete with a glass of juice/milk or your preferred hot beverage. Wholesome goodness healthy breakfast to start the day !

Enjoy & happy baking! ^-^!
Hope you'll have a great day too !

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up (September 2014 Event: Apple) organized by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids), Doreen (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Kit (I-Lost in Austen).