Raspberry Lemon Muffins - and a Sink Hole Failure!

I found this recipe on KitchME. She had adapted it form an AllRecipes entry. I modified it even more.

That being said, I learned a lot on this recipe that I needed to learn as I continue this adventure in the kitchen.

What you don’t see in the photo above is that the center of each of these muffins is one giant sink hole! Food decoration covers a multitude of ‘sins’, but I want to be transparent in my failures and lessons so that someone else might learn without having to experience it.

The first thing is, this recipe calls for frozen berries. If I had it to do over again I would have followed this and used frozen instead of fresh. However, the one thing I learned about fresh fruit (after the fact) is, if you are going to use fresh you MUST make certain that it is completely dry from all water prior to adding it to the mix. I did not pat the berries completely dry before I added them to the batter. I am certain this was one of the contributing factors to the ‘sink holes’.

The second thing is sugar – I used Raw Sugar, because I like the look and the crunch of it. My problem was I didn’t stop to think about how much heavier the raw sugar is compared to regular white sugar. Combine that with the fact that I used a heavy hand when sprinkling it on the top of the batter and…well, deeper ‘sink hole’! In hindsight, I would still use the raw sugar, and I would probably even use the same amount, however I would allow the muffins to bake until almost done and I would add the sugar in the last 10 minutes of the baking process. Maybe it would work that way (ok, I might use a lighter hand as well!).

Raspberry Lemon Muffins - makes 12

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt – I used vanilla, because I like the flavor it brings out.

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 egg whites

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

• 1 cup frozen raspberries - I used fresh – I think this may have contributed to my ‘fail’

• 2 tablespoons white sugar for decoration (optional) – I used Raw sugar – and I used too much. Raw is heavier and I think that was also a contribution to the sinking in the center

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, egg whites, and, if using, lemon extract. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended. Gently stir in the frozen raspberries. Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining sugar over the tops for decoration, if desired.

3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the tin on a wire rack.

In the end they were very tasty and didn’t last very long in the house! I might change the recipe up the next time around and drizzle a little chocolate on top of them! No matter, I highly recommend that you try them for a treat that isn’t too sweet and that embraces the flavors of summer!