This basic muffin recipe is simple yet soft and buttery. The simple muffin base is easy to make and it can be flavored with a variety best banana muffin recipe mix-ins.
You’ll be sinking your teeth into buttery, soft muffins in no time! I’m adding to my baking basics series with a plain muffin recipe that is great as it is or flavored with your favorite mix-ins. Try making cranberry orange muffins with this recipe. The traditional ratio for muffins and quick bread is 2 parts flour, 2 parts liquid, 1 part egg, and 1 part butter. I’m not a fan of muffins baked this way because they are too soft and spongy.
I prefer my muffins to be dense but soft in the middle and crisp on the top. I started with the basic muffin ratio and adjusted the ingredients until I achieved the texture I prefer. Why this basic muffin recipe works The recipe follows the muffin method. The dry ingredients are mixed together in one bowl. The wet ingredients are mixed together in another bowl. Then, the two are mixed together just until combined.
The right amount of liquid is used to achieve a dense muffin that isn’t dry. The batter is sturdy enough to support anything you’d like to add in. Blueberries, strawberries, lemon zest, and orange zest are just a few examples of mix-ins. I’ll leave more details on the variations down below. Basic Muffin Ingredients Plain muffins call for standard pantry ingredients. You most likely have these on hand already.
Flour: All-purpose flour is what I used to develop the recipe. Leavening: Baking powder is my choice of leavening for this muffin base. Salt: Because no recipe is edible without a pinch or two of salt. Butter: I prefer unsalted sweet cream butter when making muffins. Sugar: Only a little sugar is used. Eggs: You need 2 large eggs. Milk: I used whole milk for the muffins but you can also use buttermilk.
How to make Basic Muffins This recipe is so quick and easy, you could do it with your eyes closed! Not really, but you know what I’m trying to get at here. You need two bowls, a whisk, and a spatula. A Basic muffin batter shouldn’t be too sweet. A good rule of thumb is to use as much sugar as butter.
And take care not to over mix when combining the ingredients. Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients It’s as easy as it sounds. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and use a whisk to stir until everything is well combined. Important note: Make sure you properly measure the flour before you begin. Don’t scoop the flour out of the container with the measuring cup. Flour compacts and you’ll end up with too much flour this way. Instead, fluff the flour with a fork and lightly spoon it into the measuring cup.