Just have to Share – Lemon/Orange Muffins

A blogger that I regularly read, Joxy from Free Range Family, recently posted these beautiful orange muffins. I had to share them with you. I’ve also replaced the oranges juice and zest with pureed apple & cinamon (my favourite!) and with liquidised bananas. They were fabulous and they freeze and defrost really well too. Try them. Seriously. They are great!

An additional bonus is that they are super quick to make. I made three batches (mentioned above!) in 60 minutes while my daughter napped and still had time to do the dishes. If I had three sets of pans, it would have been done in half the time!

(1 cup = 250ml)

2 cups of plain flour
3tsp (level) baking powder
1/4 – 1/2 cup of caster sugar (depends how sweet you like them)
zest of 2 medium sized oranges
1/4 tsp of salt

In another bowl mix together
1 egg
1 cup of orange juice (squeezed from the two oranges – if not enough make up rest with water)
1/4 cup of oil or butter

Makes enough for a standard 12 cup muffin tin.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until the flour is just incorporated. A lumpy batter makes lighter muffins. Pop in muffins pans (well greased or use papers or silicon cups), and bake for approximately 20 mins at 200 c (I tend to do mine for 16 mins on 160 but I have a fan oven that is viciously hot.. plus the silcon means heat is distributed more eveningly so cooks a bit quicker too).

Same recipe for lemon muffins, which actually I think taste better. (although Saville Oranges, when available in January, are good for this recipe). Although a few drops of orange essential oil will certainly help to add to the orangy flavour, (must be 100%, preferably organic, orange essential oil). Orange icing helps the flavour along too – 1/2 cup of icing sugar to 1-2tsp of orange juice and then drizzled over the muffins when slightly warm (too hot and the icing will just soak into the muffins)

P.S Vegans the egg can be left out just add 1/2 tsp of bicarb instead.

Thanks Joxy! These are a firm favourite around here now!

If you decide to make these, take a photograph and email me at diaryofafirstchild at gmail dot com and I will add it here. Alternatively leave a link to where you’ve uploaded it!

These beautiful Apple & Cinnamon muffins were made by Maggy from The Good Life blog. She writes a wonderful description of them here. Thanks for sharing Maggy! I hope you enjoy them fresh or frozen!