Today, our Gooseberry Patch Guest Blogger series
continues...thanks for stopping by!
Dina from Buttercream Bakehouse is sharing her delicious new spin on a muffin recipe from our cookbook, Gooseberry Patch Christmas, Book 12. Tasty any time of year, her addition of fresh apples take them from yummy to amazing. Take it away, Dina!
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Hi there! My name is Dina and I am the writer, photographer and recipe developer at Buttercream Bakehouse. I started this blog as a hobby a few years back to showcase my custom made cakes. That is my other business and how I got started with baking.
Now that my blog is growing, it's my main focus and I am loving every minute of sharing quality, easy and tasty recipes with my readers.
Gooseberry Patch is a source I go to often and I have written several blog posts showcasing the amazing recipes found in their many cookbooks. I am happy to guest blog today and share yet another stand-out recipe...it's a true keeper.
Morning muffins are a great eat and go breakfast that are delicious and filling. They bake up in a snap and are amazingly versatile. I love fruit muffins, so when I came across this muffin recipe in my Gooseberry Patch Christmas, Book 12 cookbook (yummy recipes for all year 'round!), I decided to make just a slight adjustment and add chunks of apples instead of the raisins it called for.
You can add any fruit you prefer such as golden raisins, currants or dried cranberries. This muffin is extra moist because of the cup of applesauce added to the batter and that also gives it a wonderful apple flavor. The added sweet crunch from the buttery oats and brown sugar streusel adds a nice topping that gives it a down home bite and keeps you craving more. They are simply delicious.
A sweet crunchy top with moist baked apples inside.
How can it get any better than this?
Start with your streusel topping ingredients (pictured on the left) and use a pastry blender to mix the ingredients until it resembles fine crumbs.
I used Jonagold apples for their honey-like sweetness. You can use any apple variety that are ideal for baking. Click HERE to view an apple chart.
The spices bring life to these super-moist muffins and really bring out the apple essence. Mix all your dry ingredients well and add to mixed wet ingredients as stated in the recipe.
Be generous when topping your batter with this amazing rich buttery streusel. Think of it as the icing on the cake. You can’t ever have enough.
Sweet, delicious apples baked right in make this muffin
taste like apple pie. Delicious.
Applesauce Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel
Applesauce makes these muffins super moist. The addition of real chunks of apples baked inside with cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg makes it reminiscent of apple pie. Top it off with a sweet, crunchy oat streusel and you have yourself the perfect muffin.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup applesauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Streusel:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 jonagold apple
Combine butter, sugar, applesauce and egg in a mixing bowl and beat on low speed until combined. The mixture will look curdled. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; stir into butter mixture, just until moistened. Stir in diced apples. Fill paper-lined (or sprayed) muffin cups 3/4 full; generously sprinkle with Streusel, about a half-cup each. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. or until center is firm when touched. Large muffins will take longer than standard sized muffins.
Streusel: Blend all ingredients with a pastry blender until crumbly. This makes a lot, so be generous on your muffins. I put about half a cup or more on each using the large muffin tins.
Adapted from Gooseberry Patch Christmas, Book 12.
Thanks so much for stopping by today to share
this recipe, Dina...we love your fresh addition!
Join us back here in a few weeks for another guest post, and if YOU would like to contribute, just drop us a note. We'd love to hear about a Gooseberry Patch recipe that you love or that you've tailored especially for your family.