Step-by-step instructions posted on an illustrated chart. Pieces of kitchen equipment methodically organized on a tray. Ingredients disbursed in a sequential pattern.

With a recipe in hand, the muffin demonstration required by my teaching methods class was prepared.I'd studied a stack of recipes, carefully analyzing the guidelines for successful muffin baking: Leave the lumps, no overbeating to create tunnels, remember a preheated oven.

All items considered, the demo muffin was magnificent.

But that college-vintage muffin would garner nothing but a throwback label by today's standards.

Most contemporary muffin swallowers would consider the original Betty Crocker version only a bite compared with the monster masterpieces available today.

Size is not the only difference between yesterday's and today's muffins.

The 1992 breakfast fare uses considerably more sugar than its dated counterpart. Older recipes include only a quarter cup of sweetener per dozen muffins, while current instructions generally suggest as much as one cup of sugar per batch. A bread sugared to cakelike definition.

And by definition, the healthy eating concept attached to muffins deserves careful examination.

Laura Falk, director of food and nutrition services at LDS Hospital, cautions consumers to carefully analyze labels when buying muffins.

"Often a product that is advertised as healthy with a high bran content also has a high sugar content to compensate for the taste of the bran. Muffins generally have a higher fat content than other breads like bagels or whole grain products." Regardless of nutritional or size considerations, hot muffins provide a tantalizing bite of breakfast. Or midmorning snack. Or lunch.

According to Perry Hansen of Skool Lunch, one of downtown Salt Lake's prolific muffin bakers, "Most people who come in for hot muffins are not terribly concerned about calories or fat. If they worry about diets, they get toast instead, but we sell about 250 muffins a day."

Blueberry and orange muffins claim favored status at the bakery.

But blueberry muffins take second place to the carrot-raisin Banbury muffin a few blocks away at Banbury Cross.

"That's our specialty and our top seller," says manager Kathy Edwards. "We used to have only two kinds of muffins, but we've expanded to eight different types. And we sell as many muffins as we do doughnuts."

Edwards cites health concerns for the increase in muffin sales.

"The muffins all have fresh fruit in and are made with egg whites, then they are baked instead of fried."

Wherever they are baked, gourmet touches decorate ordinary muffins: cream-cheese filling, streusel topping, berries or even chocolate chips. But whatever the gourmet attraction, the aroma of freshly baked breads rouses even the sleepiest soul to breakfast.

Quick bread preparation takes only minutes. Economical mixes by Jiffy or Gold Medal simplify serving a breakfast bread, but even without a mix, muffin preparation is magic.

Muffin baking started with the 19th century development of baking powder. Like yeast, baking powder produces a gas that causes batters to rise in the oven. While yeast takes hours to facilitate rising, the chemical components of baking powder work almost immediately. Baking powders are designated "double acting" because they produce two sets of reactions - one when moistened and the second while baking.

A quality baked product, described by Marion Cunningham, author of "Fannie Farmer Baking Book," should have a "pebbly texture, be more coarse than crumbly but still tender."

Sarabeth Levine, cookbook author and owner of Sarabeth's Restaurants in New York City, suggests these criteria for making successful muffins:

- Always measure baking powder using standard measuring spoons; remember to level the spoon.

- To test baking powder effectiveness, drop one teaspoon in a cup of hot water. It should buzz and fizz actively if it isn't outdated.

- Mix briefly, stirring only to blend ingredients and leaving batter lumpy. Overbeating results in a tough final product.

- Preheat the oven at least 20 minutes to make sure temperature is correct.

- To keep crust from burning, leave one muffin cup empty and fill with water. If batter is insufficient to fill entire tin, fill empty cups with water to avoid scorching the pan.

- To reheat frozen muffins, bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. To reheat fresh muffins, place in a brown paper bag, sprinkle the outside with water, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. For microwave reheating, wrap frozen muffins in plastic wrap, then microwave at 50 percent power for 1-2 minutes. Wrap room temperature muffins in plastic wrap and microwave for 15-20 seconds.Thanks to our readers who helped brighten winter mornings with muffin recipes:

Jan Bradley, Tracy W. Melville, Arba H. North, Janet R. Yergensen, Moana Burgess, Pauline Roberts, Alice Barlow, Melissa Prince, Vickie Jensen, Mary Matheson, Kay Barg, Maria Thomas, Thelma O. Thelin and Ellen Koucos.

*****

(Recipes)

Submitted by Tracy W. Melville, Salt Lake City Approximate cost: $1.16 Preparation time: 10 minutes plus baking Yield: 1 dozen muffins Evaluation: Wonderful taste and texture in an old-fashioned muffin, updated yet still tastes like a breakfast bread.

Graham Cracker Muffins

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup milk

Combine dry ingredients; cut in shortening. Add egg and milk; stir only until combined. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

*****

Aloha Muffins

Submitted by Vickie Jensen, Draper

Approximate cost: $2.47

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus baking time

Yield: 24 muffins

Evaluation: Pleasant pineapple coconut combination in cake-like muffin.

1 can (16 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved

Milk

3 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

5 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup oil

1 cup coconut

Drain pineapple juice and add milk to equal 11/2 cups; set aside.

Combine dry ingredients, fold in beaten eggs, milk and juice and oil. Fold in drained pineapple and coconut; mix well. Fill paper-lined or greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Six-Week Bran Muffins

Submitted by Arba H. North, Salt Lake City

Approximate cost: $5.30

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus baking

Yield: About 4 dozen muffins

Evaluation: Simple new twist on familiar recipe that makes hot muffins conveniently available in the morning.

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup oil

5 cups flour

5 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

11/2 cups nuts, chopped

1 quart buttermilk

1 box (15 oz.) raisin bran cereal

Beat eggs with sugar, vanilla and oil. Add flour, soda, salt and nuts. Stir cereal in alternately with buttermilk. Bake in greased or paper-lined muffin tins at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Store remaining batter in refrigerator for up to six weeks.

*****

Corn Muffin

Submitted by Jan Bradley, Salt Lake City

Approximate cost: $1.54

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus baking

Yield: About 18 muffins

Evaluation: Unusual twist to corn bread; can be baked as a muffin or a loaf. Wheat flour combined with corn meal creates an interesting texture.

1/2 cup white flour

2/3-3/4 cup wheat flour

1 cup cornmeal

21/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1 can (151/4 oz.) evaporated milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup oil

Combine dry ingredients; make a well in center. Blend beaten eggs with milk and oil; fold into flour mixture.

Bake in greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Can be baked in a bundt pan or loaf tins for about 35 minutes.

*****

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Submitted by Thelma O. Thelin, Salt Lake City Approximate cost: $1.74 Preparation time: 15 minutes plus baking Yield: 1 dozen Evaluation: Dessert-type muffin with combination of cherries and chocolate chips.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup nuts, chopped

1/4 cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

2 teaspoons orange peel, grated

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium mixing bowl. Add milk, oil and egg; stir just until blended. Stir in chips, nuts, cherries and orange peel.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins 2/3-full; bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with butter, margarine or cream cheese.

*****

Golden Harvest Muffins

Submitted by Kay Barg, Sandy

Approximate cost: $4.76

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus baking

Yield: About 2 dozen

Evaluation: Hearty blend of fruits and vegetable; a meal in a muffin.

2 cups flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking soda

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cloves

4 cups apples, shredded and peeled

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 cup coconut

1 cup raisins

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

11/2 cups oil

1/2 cup milk

4 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs, beaten

Combine flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Add apples, carrots, coconut, raisins and walnuts; mix well. Add oil, milk, vanilla and eggs; stir just until moistened.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin 3/4-full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes; immediately remove from pan.

*****

Family Favorite Blueberry Muffins

Submitted by Alice Barlow, Sandy

Approximate cost: $3.52 Preparation time: 15 minutes plus baking time Yield: 18-24 muffins Evaluation: Tasty blueberry muffin with a touch of nutmeg flavor; pleasing combination that could be used with any berry muffin recipe.

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoons salt

3/4 cups butter or margarine

11/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In another bowl, cream butter until fluffy; add sugar and beat until blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla; fold in flour mixture, alternating with milk. Carefully stir in blueberries. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins 2/3-full; sprinkle with sugar/nutmeg blend. Bake 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Let muffins cool in pan at least 10 minutes before removing.

*****

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Submitted by Janet R. Yergensen, Salt Lake City

Approximate cost: $1.83

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus baking time

Yield: 1 dozen

Evaluation: Timely blend of holiday flavors with streusel, crunchy topping.

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup oil

1 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon orange peel, grated

1 cup cranberries, halved

Nutty Topping:

1/4 cup brown sugar

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1/3 cup walnuts or almonds, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt; make well in center. Lightly beat egg and stir in oil, orange juice, peel and cranberries. Pour all at once into flour well. Stir just to moisten; mixture should be lumpy.

Spoon into paper-lined or lightly greased muffin tins; sprinkle with nut topping. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.

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