Whole Wheat Muffins with Raisins
Another recipe from my Father's journal. Muffins….while muffins look a bit like cupcakes they are different in several ways. They typically have less sugar and a bit coarser crumb. Using part whole wheat flour gives you a somewhat denser texture than all all white flour muffin. I did make a few changes in the original recipe. I substituted vegetable oil for shortening and I added the raisins and a bit of oatmeal for texture and moisture. This recipe makes a dozen 2.5 ounce muffins. Kept in a ziplock bag they will stay fresh for several days. Baked muffins may also be frozen for a few weeks. Feel free to add your own touches to this recipe – perhaps chopped nuts, or other dried fruit like cranberries, chopped prunes or apricots. Just remember to rehydrate any dried fruit that you use.
Equipment
- 2 muffin/cupcake tins – or enough for 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (160g)
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 grade A large egg
- 1 & 1/3 cup whole milk or cream (288g)
- 1/2 cup golden raisins (70g) in 2 tbsp hot water to rehydrate
- 1 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour (113g)
- 1 cup King Arthur all purpose flour (120g)
- 1/3 cup old fashion oats (25g)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (2.3g)
- 1 tsp salt (6g)
- 2 tsp baking powder (8g)
Instructions
- Prepare your muffin/cupcake tin by lightly coating bottom and sides of each cup with butter or vegetable oil spray. Preheat your over to 325° for convection and 350° for standardMake sure all of your ingredients are at room temperatureSoak your raisins (or dried fruit of choice) in 2 tbsp of hot water
- Place the brown sugar and vegetable oil in the bowl of your mixer. Using the paddle attachment mix at medium speed until completely combined and has increased slightly in volume. Add the egg and mix for another 30 seconds, then add the whole milk or cream, and the raisins, along with any of the 2 tablespoons of water that was not absorbed and mix for a few seconds.
- Whisk together the two flours, oats, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and add to the batter and mix to combine. Stop and use a flexible spatula to scrape sides and bottom then mix for a few seconds more.
- Depending on the size of your muffin tin, scoop enough batter into each section to come about 2/3 of the way to the top. You can certainly use a spoon but I find it easy to pipe using a pastry bag with a plain tip. See photo.
- Place in your preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Times will vary depending on one's oven and the type of muffin pan you use. You can use a metal cake tester. If when inserted into the center of the muffin it comes out clean, your muffins are baked.
- Dump the muffins on to a cooling rack. Store cooled muffins in a plastic bag, or you may freeze for later use.
Notes
NOTE – These look a little different as they were baked in a Popover pan..somewhere between moving to Italy for a year and then returning to Napa, my cupcake/muffin pan disappeared..Just proves that you can improvise and still achieve. Some will advise to use a special muffin pan which is slightly different in shape from a traditional cupcake pan. I however try to find one thing that has multiple uses. You may not want to use a popover pan when you bake these muffins, but the cupcake or muffin pan that you have should work perfectly. I prefer to not use paper cupcake/muffin liners for this recipe as the batter coming into direct contact with the metal rim of the pan creates a nice crisp outer layer to the muffin.