Easy Steps to Make Perfect Simple Muffins

Muffins are a delightful, versatile treat that can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or as a light dessert. Whether you prefer your muffins with a crusty bread-like texture or a light, cake-like texture, these easy steps will guide you through making perfect simple muffins every time.

Bread-Like Simple Muffins

Pre-heat the oven to 400F/204C and prepare the muffin pan with liners or spray. Start by measuring the flour properly: use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the bag, then scoop it into a 1 cup 240 ml dry measuring cup but don’t pack it down. This method ensures that you use the correct amount of flour without making your muffins dry.

Next, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Make a well in the center where you will pour in the wet ingredients. These bread-like muffins use the muffin method, where you mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then barely stir them together to avoid over-activating the gluten in the flour. Over-mixing can make the muffins tough and dense, so use between 10-15 strokes with a wooden spoon to gently combine the two.

Measure out the oil, milk, and egg. Crack the egg into a small bowl, check for any eggshells, and whisk until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients and gently mix until the dry ingredients are just barely moistened. The batter should be lumpy, which is what you want to achieve a light, crumbly texture.

Cake-Like Simple Muffins

To make cake-like simple muffins, preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Grease the muffin pan or line it with liners. Start by mixing the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This mixture will be the base for your cake-like muffins, which benefit from the creaming method. Add the egg, mix well, and set aside.

Combine the remaining dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, and salt—using a wooden spoon in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, combining alternately with milk, to ensure a smooth and moist muffin texture. This method minimizes gluten development and makes the muffins tender and moist.

Simple Blueberry Muffins

Following the same pre-heating and greasing steps, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk together the sugar, butter, milk, and eggs in a separate bowl until well blended. Use only a wooden spoon to gently mix the wet and dry ingredients, using only 10-15 strokes to avoid over-mixing. Blueberries can be a great addition to muffins, but be sure to fold them gently into the batter to prevent them from crushing.

Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full, place the pan in the center of the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. If the muffins are not quite done, return them to the oven for another 5 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a bit before removing them from the pan with a butter knife.

Conclusion

Whether you prefer your muffins with a soft, cake-like texture or a hearty, bread-like texture, these simple methods will ensure that you achieve the desired result. Experiment with different fruits, nuts, and spices to create unique and delicious variations of these versatile muffins. Enjoy them fresh or freeze for later use. Happy baking!