Donut Pass Go Until You Try a Muffin

Dear Home Ec 101,

I lost my head and signed up to bake something for my mothers’ group. I’m a mess in the kitchen and need something easy. We meet in the morning, if that helps.

Help!

~Harried Hostess

Heather says:

If you can make a cake from a box mix, you can handle these muffins. These are cakelike with a hint of vanilla and are not overly sweet, unless you have a heavy hand with the powdered sugar.

Donut Muffins

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs - beaten
• 1/4 cup melted butter (that’s 1/2 a stick)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Stir in the eggs, butter, milk, and vanilla. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Pour into greased muffin tins and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cheap and easy: Simple Blueberry Muffins

Heather says:

While the muffins at a coffee shop are certainly tempting, I find the price a little steep for my budget. Whip up these instead and put the change in your piggy bank for rainy day.

Simple Blueberry Muffins

Yields approximately 10 muffins

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• about 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 TBSP cold butter, cut into small cubes or grated
• 1/8 cup rolled oats
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• a pinch of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Grease muffin tin or line with paper cups.

In a bowl stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. In a liquid measuring cup stir together 1/3 cup veg oil, 1 tsp vanilla, and one egg. Add enough milk to bring the liquid volume total to one cup. Stir. Add to the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Fold in the blueberries.

In a small bowl combine: butter, oats, brown sugar, white sugar, and pinch of cinnamon. Stir together with a fork, the mixture will be crumbly.

Fill 10 muffin cups with batter and sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for 20 -25 minutes.

Enjoy.