Showing posts with label autumn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label autumn. Show all posts
These Cran-Apple Spice Muffins are everything we love about fall baking in one cozy treat! Unsweetened applesauce, tart cranberries, warm cinnamon and crunchy toasted pecans come together to create moist and tender muffins that are perfect for breakfast, afternoon coffee breaks, or tucking into lunch boxes.
Easy to make and filled with wholesome flavour, these muffins are a delicious way to celebrate apple season and cranberry season all at once.
I have a few of those old supermarket cooking leaflets/books that I managed to salvage and bring back to Canada with me. You know the ones I mean I am sure. They used to always be for sale next to the cash register at the grocery store and were put out by companies like Pillsbury or Betty Crocker, etc.
I had collected quite a few through the years, but I could only bring back a few of them. This recipe I am sharing with you today comes from one entitled Home Baking, published by Pillsbury in November of 1990. Can you believe it only cost $3? I know. The cost of cooking magazines has sky-rocketed since them. You can expect to pay upwards of $15 for them now! Talk about inflation.
I had baked these muffins many times through the years, but this was the first time I baked them to share on here. They are a simple, classic, beautiful muffin, with high pebbly tops and a beautiful moist texture.
They are also not too sweet. I don't like muffins that taste like little cakes. I like a muffin to be a bit sturdier than that and to taste more like a bread than a cake.
These are lovely and moist through the use of unsweetened applesauce and there is very little sugar in the recipe. This contrasts beautifully with the tartness of chopped fresh cranberries and the nutty crunch of toasted pecans.
Simply put, these are a beautiful muffin that I think you will enjoy as much as I do! Very autumnal.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
🍎CRAN-APPLE SPICE MUFFINS🍎
Other than the fresh (or frozen) cranberries, there is nothing too out of the ordinary here.
- 2 cups (240g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (85g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (250g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup (80ml) oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (114g) coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup (60g chopped toasted pecans
🍎NOTES ON INGREDIENTS🍎
Flour
Regular all-purpose/plain flour gives these muffins a tender crumb. Measure by spooning the flour into your cup and then leveling it off for the best results.
Sugar
The amount is quite modest, allowing the natural sweetness of the applesauce to shine trough. You can use light brown sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavour if you wish.
Baking Soda
This helps the muffins rise and acts with the acidity in the applesauce and the cranberries.
Cinnamon
Adds warmth and complements both the apples and cranberries beautifully. Feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg for extra autumn flavour.
Salt
Enhances all of the flavours and balances any sweetness.
Unsweetened Applesauce
The star ingredient! This keeps the muffins incredibly moist while adding a touch of natural sweetness. Homemade or store-bought work well.
Oil
Adds moisture and ensures the muffins stay fresh for several days. Use a neutral flavoured oil such as canola, vegetable, or light olive oil (My choice).
Egg
Provides structure and richness. Bring it to room temperature if possible for better incorporation.
Vanilla
Adds depth and rounds out the flavours beautifully.
Cranberries
Fresh or frozen cranberries work perfectly here. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw them out first. Their bright tartness provides a delicious contrast to the applesauce.
Pecans
Toasting the pecans before adding them intensifies their nutty flavour and adds a wonderful crunch. Walnuts can be substituted if you wish.
🍎HOW TO MAKE CRAN-APPLE SPICE MUFFINS🍎
As simple to make as most muffins are. The hardest part for me was chopping the cranberries, but I got there in the end. (I didn't want to drag out the food processor, lol. Call me lazy.)
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Grease a medium 12 cup muffin tin really well. Set aside. (Alternately line with paper cups)
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. (I used a small wire whisk. This helps to make sure that everything is evenly mixed.)
- Whisk the applesauce, oil, egg and vanilla together until well combined. (Same wire whisk.)
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, combining only until the dry ingredients are moistened. (I used a small rubber spatula. Do NOT overmix. A few lumps are fine and in fact make for a better muffin. What you don't want is large dry streaks.)
- Stir in the cranberries and nuts. (I folded them in with the rubber spatula, taking care to mix them in evenly without overmixing the batter.)
- Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, dividing equally. (You want to fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full for a nice crown.)
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. (They should be golden brown.)
- Leave to cool in the tin for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
I like to enjoy these warm with some butter for spreading and a nice hot cup of herbal tea.
🍎HINTS AND TIPS FOR BAKING MUFFINS🍎
Here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:
1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine.
2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.
3. Add your flavors last. While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.
4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer.
5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups. Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.
6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top. Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.
7. Protect your baking pan. If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling.
8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan.
9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen.
🍎FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS🍎
CAN I DOUBLE THIS RECIPE?
Yes, by all means. The recipe is designed to scale easily so you can double or even triple it with great success.
CAN THESE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, you can whisk the dry ingredients ahead and cover, as well as the wet ingredients (store them covered in the fridge) ready to stir together and bake when and as you need them.
HOW CAN I STORE THE BAKED MUFFINS?
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
CAN THESE BE FROZEN?
Absolutely. Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, tightly. Label and date. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the oven.
CAN THIS BE BAKED IN A PAN INSTEAD OF A MUFFIN TIN?
Yes. I would use a buttered 9-inch square pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at the temperature stated in the recipe.
🍎A FEW SMALL BATCH MUFFIN RECIPES TO ENJOY🍎
Muffins don't always have to be baked in big batches. Here are a few additional small batch muffin recipes you can enjoy!
SMALL BATCH BRAN MUFFINS - Everything a cozy morning muffin bake should be — tender, gently sweet, and packed with hearty whole‑grain goodness. Made with wheat bran, molasses, and just a whisper of oil, they bake up moist and flavourful without feeling heavy. Add raisins for little pockets of sweetness, enjoy them warm from the oven, and you’ve got the perfect muffin for one, two, or anyone who loves a nourishing treat that tastes far better than “healthy” ever suggests.
CINNAMON ROLL MUFFINS - These tasty muffins capture everything you love about a warm, gooey cinnamon roll — but in a tender, golden muffin that’s ready in just minutes. A buttery batter, a generous swirl of nutty cinnamon‑pecan streusel, and a soft cream‑cheese drizzle make each of the six muffins feel like a little indulgence. They rise tall, smell like “home sweet home,” and deliver that cozy cinnamon‑bakery magic without the fuss of yeast or a full batch. Perfect for a weekend treat when you want something special, small, and utterly irresistible.
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Yield: 12 muffins
Cran-Apple Spice Muffins
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Applesauce keeps these cranberry and pecan studded spice muffins lovely and moist.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (85g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (250g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup (80ml) oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (114g) coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup (60g chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Grease a medium 12 cup muffin tin really well. Set aside. (Alternately line with paper cups)
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl.
- Whisk the applesauce, oil, egg and vanilla together until well combined.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, combining only until the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Stir in the cranberries and nuts.
- Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, dividing equally.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
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Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake. I have never made an olive oil cake before, but when I saw this recipe in Yossi Snacking Cakes, I knew I wanted to try. In fact this is the cake she chose to grace the cover of her book, Snacking Cakes, by Yossi Arefi.
I bought this book on a whim. I love snacking cakes. They are not overwhelming cakes, easy to make, small in stature, and usually no fuss no muss.
This recipe was adapted from that book. I have made several cakes from the book now, and I can tell you, every one has turned out beautifully.
I can't recommend the book highly enough. If you don't have it yet, you really need to get it!
In honor of this being the first week of Autumn, I wanted to bake another pumpkin cake. (Can you ever have too much pumpkin? I think not!!) When I spied this recipe I decided this was the one.
I still had pumpkin left from baking my Pumpkin, Orange & Cranberry Bread that needed using up, and this was the perfect cake to do just that!
I have never made an olive oil cake before, but I have always been intrigued by the concept. Olive oil cakes are very popular in Italy, and are in fact considered to be signature cakes in some areas.
Any cake containing olive oil is considered to be an olive oil cake actually. Usually the flavors used in olive oil cakes tend to be citrus flavors. This is because olive oil itself lends a bit of a citrus-like flavor to the cake.
KITTY BREAK - Nutmeg and Cinnamon were admiring me from their blanket beneath my chair. They are so loving and affectionate and love being near me. They usually purr the whole time.
I had been really missing having a pet. I know pets are an added responsibility, but the love you get in return is priceless. Now back to our regular programming.
I had not really seen olive oil as having much of a citrus flavor, but when I thought about it I came to the conclusion that it really does. Its a bit subtle, but its there.
Citrus pairs beautifully with fruits and pumpkin, so there you have it. This is a brilliant combination.
Although it was not stated in the recipe, I figured that this recipe required extra virgin olive oil and so that is what I used.
There is only 1/2 cup (120ml) in the whole cake so its not overwhelming. There is also some in the lush maple glaze on top.
It is an incredibly moist cake, with a beautiful dense texture. Yossi says you can switch it up and add some chocolate chips, but I kept it plain.
There is plenty of spice going on in the cake. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice and a gentle nudge of black pepper. Black pepper adds a lovely hint of warmth that is not at all out of place here!
You can bake this cake in a 9 X 5 X 3 inch loaf tin, or an 8-inch square baking pan, or even a 9 by 13 inch pan for a sheet type of cake. (Double the ingredients for the larger cake.)
Of course the bake times will need to be adjusted as well. For the loaf tin, 50 to 60 minutes. For the square pan it will take the same amount of time as the round.
For the 9 by 13 you will need to double the ingredients for the cake, and bake it for 30 to 40 minutes. You will also need to double the ingredients for the glaze. This would be the perfect cake for a gathering, or pot luck in that measure.
I would think with the ingredients doubled you could also bake it in a Bundt cake tin, but am not sure how long it would take to bake. I would start checking it at 40 to 45 minutes.
I think the roasted pumpkin seeds make a beautiful garnish on top and are quite fitting as it is a pumpkin cake after all. I used the salted ones.
She had suggested sprinkling sea salt flakes on top, but I figured if you use already salted roast pumpkin seeds, you don't need to use any sea salt flakes.
The cake itself is very easy to throw together. Its a simple matter of beating the eggs and sugar together until foamy and then adding the other wet ingredients, along with the spices.
You will need to whisk everything together until everything is really well mixed together.
I always like to sift the flour, baking powder and soda together before I add them to cakes. This makes sure that the leavenings are evenly distributed in the cake batter.
There is nothing worse than getting a mouthful of baking soda because it has all ended up in one spot in a cake. Sifting gets rid of the chance of that happening!
The glaze is very simple to make and adds a beautiful touch. Its nicely flavored with just a bit of maple syrup (use the real deal) and of course there is a bit of olive oil in the glaze also.
This gives is a velvety texture. Only add half of the hot water until you see how thick the glaze is actually going to be. You may not need the second amount.
Altogether this was a brilliant cake! With spicy flavors that complimented the pumpkin and the olive oil beautifully without going over the top. It has a really warm autumn feel and taste to it.
This would be completely at home on the dessert table with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, or at the tea/break table for a delicious mid morning or afternoon treat!
I found the cake, with that glaze, to be completely and utterly moreish indeed! I highly recommend.
If this isn't quite pushing your buttons, here are a few other pumpkin cakes you might enjoy:
Cinderella's Pumpkin Cake - moist, dense and delicious
Pumpkin Streusel Cake - a delicious Bundt cake with a ribbon of streusel running through it.
Pumpkin Spice Cake - Another Bundt, but this one sports a caramel praline glaze
Two Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with a Cider glaze - Yes the cake itself needs only two ingredients. Unbelievable but true!
Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
Yield: Makes one 9-inch round cake
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
This spicy pumpkin cake sports a beautifully moist texture and a lush sweet maple flavored glaze. You are sure to love this!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 cup (230g) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
For the glaze:
- 1 cup (130g) icing sugar, sifted
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 2 TBS pure maple syrup
- 1 to 2 TBS hot water
- salted roasted pumpkin seeds to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9-inch round cake tin and line the bottom with some baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- Whisk the brown sugar and eggs together until pale in color and foamy. (1 minute) Beat in the pumpkin, olive oil, baking spices, pepper and salt. Mix well together until smooth and totally amalgamated. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing over the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter top a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Leave to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before tipping out to cool completely.
- Place the cake onto a plate for serving. Whisk together all of the glaze ingredients until smooth, only adding enough hot water to make a thick, but pourable glaze.
- Pour the glaze evenly over the cake and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Leave to set for 20 minutes before serving.
- Store any leftover cake in a tightly covered container for up to three days.
Notes:
If desired 1/2 cup (85g) of chocolate chips can be folded into the cake batter just prior to pouring the batter into the cake tin.
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