Today we’re turning to muffins, with a recipe from King Arthur Flour. I’m a big fan of their recipes and have had good success with the ones I’ve tried. Their blog, Bakers’ Banter, is one of my favorites – complete with step-by-step photos and instructions it’s a terrific tool. I highly recommend stopping by!
I’ve been trying to incorporate more whole wheat flour into my baking and I’ve found that I often can’t even tell, especially when I use white whole wheat flour. These muffins incorporate both white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour, along with a healthy dose of cinnamon and diced apples. The batter is fairly thick, which worried me a bit, but the apples provide plenty of moisture and the muffins bake up beautifully. The muffins are each topped with brown sugar before they go in the oven so they come out with a nice crunchy top. The cinnamon flavor is prominent, but not overwhelming. The muffins were a hit with those who tried them and make a terrific breakfast treat! I never would have guessed they were whole wheat if I hadn’t known.
By Tracey
Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
from King Arthur Flour
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (4 ounces) white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and add the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well; stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the buttermilk gently. (If you over-mix, the buttermilk will cause the mixture to curdle.) Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apple chunks.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400 F, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Yields 12 muffins.
