Description
These Stay-Fresh Apple Muffins are a delightful treat featuring tender wholemeal flour, juicy apple cubes, and a hint of cinnamon. Moist and flavorful, they bake up with a slightly crispy sugar topping and stay fresh for days, making them perfect for breakfast or a snack.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Muffins
- 2 level cups apple pieces (peeled, 0.7 cm / 1/3″ cubes, about 2 large red apples)
- 1 tbsp melted butter (for greasing muffin tin or use paper liners)
- 115g / 0.5 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted)
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar, packed
- 2/3 cup (165 ml) milk (low fat, full fat, or non-dairy)
- 1 large egg (approx 60g / 2 oz)
- 1 tsp white vinegar (or any other clear vinegar)
- 2 cups (300g) wholemeal flour (wholewheat, white flour can be used as substitute)
- 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda, NOT baking powder)
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp raw sugar (demerara sugar, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F) to ensure it is hot enough for the muffins to rise properly when baking.
- Prepare Muffin Tin: Brush a 12-hole standard muffin tin with melted butter, or line it with paper cases to prevent sticking.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and packed brown sugar until combined and smooth.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the milk, then add the egg and white vinegar, whisking everything together until well incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the wholemeal flour evenly over the batter surface, followed by baking soda, cinnamon powder, and a pinch of salt. Whisk about 10 times just to combine — the batter should remain slightly lumpy.
- Fold in Apples: Gently stir the apple pieces into the batter using minimal stirring to evenly disperse without bruising the apple cubes.
- Fill Muffin Tin: Using an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin hole to the very top, maintaining a ball shape rather than smoothing the tops for a rustic look. This should yield about 12 muffins.
- Add Sugar Topping: Sprinkle the raw sugar over each muffin for a lightly crispy surface once baked.
- Lower Oven Temperature: Immediately after placing the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F) for baking.
- Bake Muffins: Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C (standard oven) or 18 minutes if using a fan/convection oven. Test by inserting a skewer to ensure it comes out clean.
- Cool Muffins: Let the muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store Properly: Once cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container. They will stay moist for up to 5 days and freeze well for longer storage.
Notes
- Note 1: You can substitute wholemeal flour with white flour if preferred, though wholemeal gives a nuttier flavor.
- Note 2: Using an ice cream scoop helps portion the batter evenly and achieve uniform muffins.
- Note 3: Buttering the muffin tin or using paper liners prevents sticking. Using the melted butter brush method gives a slightly crisper bottom crust.
- These muffins freeze well; wrap them tightly or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Baking soda is essential for proper rising; do not substitute with baking powder.
