Makes 12 muffins 

Takes 40 minutes + cooling time

 

 

You will need:

 

For the batter, dry ingredients 

200g plain flour

120g wholemeal plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

1 tsp ground mixed spice
1⁄2 tsp salt
125g light brown soft sugar

For the batter, wet ingredients 

1 tbsp lemon juice 

250ml semi-skimmed milk

80ml vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 medium eggs
 

For the fruit

1 medium dessert apple, grated, skin and all

150g blueberries (fresh is best, frozen are also fine)

 

For the glaze (optional)

Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

50g icing sugar

2-3 tsp milk

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What to do:

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1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180ºC), gas mark 6 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with deep paper cases. Combine the lemon juice and the milk in a large jug and let stand for a few minutes until it thickens and turns lumpy. 

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2 Meanwhile, put the dry ingredients, except for the sugar, into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together using a balloon whisk. Stir in the sugar, breaking up any lumps if you need to, then make a well in the middle. 

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3 Beat the oil, vanilla, and eggs into the now-lumpy milk. Pour the contents of the jug into the bowl. Add the grated apple and berries, too. Stir the mixture together briefly to make a rough batter. Don’t worry if there is still dry flour here and there.

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4 Divide the batter between the paper cases. They will seem full, but that’s fine. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden and well-risen. Don’t open the oven until every muffin has risen right to the centre.

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5 Make the glaze, if you like. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then stir in the milk until smooth. Add the lemon zest. Drizzle the glaze over the warm muffins. Cool. Best eaten the same day.

 

Jane’s tips

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Get ahead
Muffins are always best baked fresh, so why not bag up the wet ingredients, including the apple, and chill overnight. Get the dry ingredients ready in a bowl. In the morning, combine the two mixtures and get the muffins in the oven in 2 minutes flat.

 

To bake them ahead and eke them out across a longer period, freeze for up to 1 month, in an airtight container. Defrost a few at a time at room temperature.

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Cheese & ham cornbread muffins

For a savoury option, switch the wholemeal flour to fine cornmeal. (NB cornmeal is not the same as cornflour if you are in the UK. Cornmeal is like very fine polenta, pale golden in colour and a little gritty in texture). 

 

Use only 1 tsp sugar and omit the vanilla, spice, and fruit. Beat 2 tsp wholegrain mustard into the soured milk, eggs, and use 4 tbsp oil. Stir in 50g grated mature Cheddar, 50g chopped cooked ham and 100g drained canned sweetcorn. Bake for 18 minutes, until risen and golden brown. 

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Recipe and image adapted from What to Bake & How to Bake It by Jane Hornby (Phaidon Press).