Strawberry Hurricane Muffins

Strawberry Hurricane Muffins

fruity whole wheat muffinsYou may have heard. It’s, um, stormy. I was going to write a playful post about how waking up to pre-Sandy howls inspired me to bake these not-too-sweet, fruit-filled, whole grain muffins, but two things are stopping me: First, my desk is next to a window facing our small, bricked-in backyard, which becomes a wind tunnel in even a light storm. Sitting here trying to work while it sounds like the world is coming to an end is more than a little unsettling. Sandy isn’t even here yet, for crying out sake. And second, in the time since I started writing this post, a massive sinus headache has struck (thank you, barometric pressure).

So, short and sweet it is. Enjoy, and stay safe. And please, distract me with tales of your own storm-inspired cooking and baking…

Strawberry Whole Wheat Muffins
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion
Makes 18

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
healthy pinch ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk [I used 1%]
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 cups chopped strawberries [I used an entire package of Trader Joe’s frozen organic, partially defrosted. You could swap in any other berry, fresh or frozen, peaches, even apples or pears.]
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, or grease well.

  1. Place the flours, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, and spices in a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine, breaking up the lumps of sugar.
  2. In a 4-cup measuring cup, combine the oil, milk, and egg and yolk, then add to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined, then stir in the strawberries.
  3. Scoop the batter into the muffin tins—each cup will be nearly full. Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top.
  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a cooling rack.

MAKE BABY FOOD: These are safe for babies, but they do have a considerable amount of sugar—better to just reserve some of the fruit instead.