Fruity Lunchbox Muffins

Number 2:


These are a bit like the raspberry muffins I wrote about a few posts ago, but are a bit less sweet. They keep for only a few days though, so don't make too many at once! I used frozen raspberries in mine, and Muller light yoghurt borrowed from my housemate - about 1 of the big pots is 150g. I also used 200g plain flour instead of wholemeal, as I have nothing else to use wholemeal flour on.

Ingredients - makes 12 normal size cakes or 6 muffins


100g (3.5 oz) plain flour
100g (3.5 oz) wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
75g (3 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp mild olive oil or veg oil
40g (1.5 oz) butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
150g (5 oz) red fruit yoghurt
100g (3.5 oz) fresh raspberries or strawberries, cut into small pieces

1. Line a tray with cases. Preheat the oven to 200*C. Put the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl.
2. Whisk together the eggs, oil, melted butter, vanilla extract and yoghurt with a fork and add to the bowl.
3. Mix gently with a metal spoon until the ingredients have started to blend together. Scatter with half the berryy pieces and mix a little more until the ingredients are only just combined. Divide amongst the cases and scatter with the remaining berry pieces.
4. Bake for 15 mins or until well risen and just firm. Allow to cool. (A warm one is quite nice to eat though!)

Mine turned out a little paler, due to the lack of wholemeal flour, but tasted great. The sponge turns blue around the berries as the colour of the berries seeps out into the sponge. Overall a very nice not-so-sweet cake for a lunchbox.

MMFC

Rippled Raspberry Cupcakes

I made these cakes the other day, using defrosted frozen raspberries. They tasted really really good. Very light and fluffy. The raspberry mix would probably have worked better if i'd swirled it round in the cakes, but as it was they were really really good.

Ingredients - makes 6 or 7 muffins, 12 cupcakes

125g (4 oz) butter
125g (4 oz) caster sugar plus 2 tsps
2 eggs
150g (5 oz) self raising flour
0.5 tsp baking powder
75g (3 oz) fresh raspberries (or defrosted frozen raspberries)
Icing sugar to dust

1. Line a 12 hole cupcake tin (or 6 hole muffin tin). Preheat the oven to 180*C.
2. Crush the raspberries with the 2 tsps of sugar so they are broken, but not a juicy mush.
3. Put the butter and sugar (minus the 2 tsps) in a bowl and beat until light and creamy.
4. Fold in the eggs, then the flour and baking powder. Half fill each case with the mixture. Spoon a small amount of the raspberry mush ontop of this. Then cover with the leftover mixture. Swirl the cakes gently with a spoon.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until risen and just firm. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

 

I think these work better as muffins than as cupcakes. The size is essential. Also, the raspberries are likely to go off very quickly, so don't make lots of these in one big go.

MMFC