Proper mixing is the key to making quality muffins. When prepared correctly, the batter bakes into quick breads that have rounded, cauliflower-like tops and light, moist interiors with an even-grained texture.
If the batter is overmixed, tunnels develop inside the muffins during baking and the texture changes from that of bread to cake. Top crusts turn out smooth and peaked.
To produce first-rate muffins, begin by thoroughly blending the dry ingredients--flour, sugar, baking powder and salt--in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center of this mixture and set the bowl aside. Then in a smaller bowl, mix the liquid ingredients--egg, milk, melted fat or oil and other seasonings--until well combined.
Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the well in the dry ingredients (Step 1) and stir just enough to moisten the flour mixture--12 to 15 circular stirs with a spoon or rubber spatula. The batter should still be lumpy (Step 2), but not have any areas with dry flour.
Scoop or spoon the batter into greased or paper-lined muffins cups (Step 3) to 2/3 full, unless directed otherwise in the recipe. To eliminate misshapen or lopsided muffins, a single scoop or spoonful of batter should be used for each muffin, rather than adding batter a bit at a time. Fill any empty muffin cups with water to prevent the pan from warping during baking.
Before placing the muffins in the oven, sprinkle the top of each one with sugar (Step 4). Raw and decorator sugars, which have a coarser texture, make an attractive alternative. They can be found in specialty food and cake-decorating supply stores.
Oven temperatures of 400 to 425 degrees permit the muffins to bake through to the center quickly, before the outside burns or dries out. Remove from the oven when the muffins are golden brown, spring back when pressed lightly or when a wood pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool briefly on a wire rack (Step 5). Muffins are meant to be served while still warm from the oven; they don’t retain their freshness very long. If they must be stored, remove them from the pan and cool, then wrap them carefully and freeze. Reheat frozen muffins, wrapped in foil, at 350 degrees 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Any muffin recipe may be baked in the now-popular oversized form. Larger-size muffins pans are available in many housewares departments and cookware stores. Some recipes may need an adjustment in baking time, but this recipe for lemon muffins was developed using a muffin pan with three-inch-diameter depressions.
Note: Some muffins are intended to be rich and have a cake-like texture. These are high in sugar and shortening and are prepared by another mixing method, similar to cakes. Such batters can withstand more mixing and need to be baked at lower temperatures, 350 degrees to 375 degrees.
LEMON MUFFINS
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup oil
Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in medium-sized mixing bowl. Beat egg lightly in small bowl. Stir in milk, 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, lemon juice and oil.
Add liquid to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.
Combine remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest. Sprinkle over tops of muffins.
Bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes. Makes about 6 large muffins.
Each serving contains about:
344 calories; 434 mg sodium; 37 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.
Note: Raw or decorator sugar may be substituted for granulated sugar in topping.
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FAQs
It's tempting to try and get a smooth batter, but lumps are totally fine in muffin batter. To avoid tough muffins, only fold in ingredients until they're just combined. Overmixing will develop gluten and make the muffins tough.
Is it okay if muffin batter is lumpy? ›
Benefits of Lumpy Batter
Rather, creating light, fluffy pancakes and muffins has to do with batter texture and hydration. A batter is more viscous when it's lumpy than when it's smooth, since the lumps prevent water from flowing and the mixture from spreading.
What is the texture of a good muffin? ›
Good muffins are meant to be pillow-soft, light, and airy. And believe it or not, the way you mix the batter has a big impact on texture. If you have the impulse to keep mixing, and mixing, and mixing, resist it at all costs. When you overmix the batter, it crushes the air bubbles and ruins the fluffy texture.
Is muffin mix supposed to be clumpy? ›
Proper mixing is the key to making quality muffins. When prepared correctly, the batter bakes into quick breads that have rounded, cauliflower-like tops and light, moist interiors with an even-grained texture.
Does muffin batter need to be smooth? ›
The most important factor is that there should be as little mixing as possible. Resist the urge to create a smooth batter; It is normal for the batter to look lumpy. If the batter is mixed for too long, the gluten in the flour will develop and create a tough texture when the muffins are baked.
How to tell if muffin batter is overmixed? ›
What is overmixing, actually? Overmixing is exactly what it sounds like: the process by which a dough or batter gets mixed too much, typically yielding dense, tough, or deflated baked goods. Overmixed doughs and batters may have an unappealing look or feel, which remain just as unappealing when they're baked.
How to tell if muffins are undercooked? ›
The best test to determine a muffin's doneness is to insert a wooden pick into the center of one of the center muffins before removing the pan from the oven. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs clinging to the pick, the muffins are done.
What is the most common flaw when baking muffins? ›
One of the biggest mistakes people make with muffins — and baked goods as a whole — is using ingredients that are too cold. If you use butter that is too cold, you'll find the batter is harder to work with and has pockets of unevenness throughout.
What does good muffin batter look like? ›
A thick and lumpy muffin batter is good. The lumps will go away when they bake. I recommend mixing by hand, using a spatula or wooden spoon because it's easy to over mix using a hand or stand mixer. Most normal baking it's okay to mix until the batter is smooth, but this should be avoided with muffins.
What are 3 ways to test for doneness of muffins? ›
For Cakes, Muffins, and Quick Breads
If batter clings to the tester or skewer, the baked good needs more time in the oven. Fully baked, cakes, muffins, and quick breads will feel springy and resilient when the center is gently pressed with fingers. If an impression is left in the surface, the item is not done.
While certain baked goods are meant to have a dry and flaky crust, muffins are not one of them. Instead, the perfect muffin should be soft, tender and moist. To create a muffin with the desired moist texture, you'll want to carefully follow each recipe step.
How lumpy should muffin batter be? ›
There should be some small lumps. Chopped nuts, fruit and other small "add in" ingredients may be combined with the dry ingredients or folded gently into the batter near the end of mixing. Realize that overmixing can cause muffins to be tough, bake unevenly, create elongated holes (or tunnels) and/or form peaked tops.
How to get lumps out of muffin mix? ›
If you still have a few small lumps you should be able to disperse them with a small wire hand whisk (sometimes called a vinaigrette whisk) or you can use a small spatula or wooden spoon to break them up by pressing them against the side of the pan.
Why are my muffins dense and doughy? ›
Too much leavening – If there is too much baking soda or powder in the batter, muffins will rise temporarily, then collapse. This causes them to become dense. For every cup of flour, you only need 1 teaspoon of baking powder or 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
How do you fix lumpy cupcake batter? ›
If you still have a few small lumps you should be able to disperse them with a small wire hand whisk (sometimes called a vinaigrette whisk) or you can use a small spatula or wooden spoon to break them up by pressing them against the side of the pan.
What should the consistency of muffin batter look like? ›
Depending on what ingredients you're using, the batter will range from runny (like thin cake batter) to very thick (like drop-cookie dough). As a general rule, the thinner the batter, the lighter the muffins will be when baked. But don't be afraid to bake thick, gloppy batter.
Why is my muffin batter so doughy? ›
Check the oven temperature to see that it matches the temperature set on the oven dial. Oven thermostats can vary over time, requiring adjustments by the baker or calibration by a professional. To insure the correct temperature each time you bake, always use an oven thermometer.
