Thursday, May 31, 2012

Warm Strawberry Muffins


Using the same basic recipe as many of my muffins and tailoring for the season. 

I went strawberry picking earlier in the week and thought I should use up some of my haul before they got mushy. Freezing for end-of-year teacher gifts...healthy, yummy, and convenient for busy mornings!

3/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c oat bran
1/4 c instant oats
1/4 c wheat germ
3/4 c sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t cardamom

2/3 c applesauce
1 egg
1 c buttermilk (add 1 T lemon juice to scant cup milk, let stand 5 minutes)
1 t vanilla
1 c chopped strawberries

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another.  Stir together until moistened and then add berries.  Pour into muffin tin prepared with baking spray and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.  Let cool five minutes and then remove from pan to finish cooling on wire rack.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Martha's Glazed Lemon Cakes

Made these for a cookout this weekend and they were a wonderful hot weather treat!

Courtesy of Martha Stewart, from my favorite cookbook, Great Food Fast.

1/2 unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 c plain yogurt
1 t vanilla
zest of 1 lemon plus juice, plus additional 2 T juice for glaze
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare your muffin tin: recipe calls for a 6-muffin jumbo tin but I used a regular 12-muffin kind and plan to try my mini pan with these for an event in a few days. You can do butter and flour or a baking spray like Wilton (what I did).

In med bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.  In small bowl, whisk yogurt, vanilla, zest and juice from 1 lemon.

Using mixer, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of yogurt mixture.

Pour into tin.  Bake about 20 minutes if using the jumbo tins, less if smaller...I set my timer for about 17 minutes and looked to see if they were golden and did the toothpick test.  Let cool 10 minutes, then remove from tin and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Mix your glaze: powdered sugar plus 2 T lemon juice.  I added a splash of milk because it was quite thick. Once your cakes are cool, set the rack over a large cutting board or waxed paper and pour the glaze over them.  Let sit for 30 minutes.  Garnish with berries on a serving plate...delish!!