How to bake muffins

[Mumof2]

Hello. I would like to bake some chocolate muffins with my daughter but have no idea how to do it.

Does anyone have a easy recipe for this beginner at baking.

Thank you very much in advance.

[martha stewart not]

welll ..... there's ready made muffin mix.

stir, follow instructions, add water perhaps? oil muffin pan, pop into oven .... and voila, home made muffins!  

[My version]

I use a cake recipe and pour it into muffin cups.

[mangosteen]

There are lots of good recipes out there, in books or online.  Beware of any recipe that tells you to melt chocolate in the microwave (shudder).  

My two tips are:  

1.  Make sure the baking powder isn't past its expiration date - otherwise the muffins won't rise - they'll be flat and horrid.  

2.  Mix all the dry ingredients first, mix all the wet ingredients together separately, and then very gently fold together just until incorporated.  Too much mixing will make muffins solid and dense instead of light and fluffy.  

Good luck and enjoy your muffins!  

[Mumof2]

Hi. Thanks for all the tips. Just a couple of silly questions from silly me.

Some recipes I found just says flour. Exactly what kind of flour are they referring to?

If I line the baking pan with paper muffin cup holders, do I grease just the paper?

I feel bad asking, but I'm really new at this.

[my way]

If you use paper cups, don't grease anything. Just peel the paper cups off as you eat them. Just "flour" usually means plain flour and the recipe will include a raising agent like baking powder. If no raising agent is mentioned, use self-raising. Best way to learn is to experiment. You'll have to get used to your oven and use fresh ingredients, as flour, especially wholemeal can go rancid and raising agents like yeast and baking powder can lose their power if stored too long. And buy a cheap paperback recipe book like the Women's Weekly Cookery series from Australia, widely available here and with clear instructions and lots of pictures.

[website]

One of my favourite websites is www.allrecipes.com

You can find anything and everything you could possibly want to cook.

[cup cakes]

I never have much success with muffins but this vanilla cup cake recipe is a favourite with my boys.

Preheat oven 160.C - 180.C.

1 cup self raising flour, 1/2 cup castor sugar - sifted.
60gm butter, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla essence.  
Beat everything together for 2 minutes (best done in electric beater).  
Spoon into cupcake papers (sit in muffin tin) Cook 10 - 15 minutes.

Easy Peasy!

Buy ready made icing (Betty Crocker).

[Mumof2]

Thank you for all the helpful information. I'll be trying it out next week. Good luck to me.

[expat mom]

To those who have had trouble with muffins, not cup cakes, it is usually due to over mixing.  As mangosteen said you mix only to moisten the dry ingredients and leave small lumps of mix.  This makes the muffins light and airy.
I hope you and your daughter have a great time cooking together.