Muffins and cupcakes are beloved treats for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or really, any time of the day. Muffins and cupcakes can be baked in advance, stored in the freezer, and finished with decorations when it´s time to serve.

Muffins
Muffins can be sweet or savory, and with or without filling. Muffins can be made in different sizes, from mini muffins to large American café muffins. Regular-sized, classic muffins are usually without filling or decoration and have a vanilla or chocolate flavor, like a classic sponge cake baked in portions.

Cupcakes
A cupcake is a sweet muffin that always has a topping, it is often nicely decorated and sometimes has a filling.  The size is on the smaller side and works a bit like a mini cake. The name comes from the fact that they were baked in copper molds when they were first introduced to the United States.

Recipe
Just like any other baking recipe, it is good to read the entire recipe before you start baking.  Make sure the ingredients are fresh and, where the recipe calls for it, at room temperature.

Whipping
Once the flour has been added, do not overmix batter.  This can cause gluten to develop and result in tough muffins or cupcakes.  If necessary, mix dry ingredients in on a low speed and/or fold in by hand with a spatula.

Muffin tray
A muffin tin is good to have if you bake muffins frequently as they help stabilize the muffins and ensure they rise up instead of fall out. Other options include silicone molds, stable paper molds or double paper molds.

Baking
Use a cookie scoop or some other measure to make sure all the muffins on the same pan are the same size. If they differ in size, the baking will be uneven.

Regular muffin tins should be filled to a maximum of 2/3 to have room to rise. If they are overfilled, the batter may rise up and onto the baking sheet or collapse when you take them out of the oven. Test doneness by poking a wooden skewer or toothpick in the center.  If clean when removed (no wet or sticky batter clinging to it), the muffins/cupcakes are done. Alternately, gently press a finger on top of the muffin, if it bounces back, it is ready.

Lift the muffins out of any tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Storage
Muffins are good to freeze immediately after cooling. Cupcakes can be frozen with or without topping, but expect that the topping may have a different texture after thawing. Thaw cupcakes with topping slowly in the fridge.

American muffins
In American coffee shops and cafes, muffins are often sweet and more like a cupcake.  To avoid confusion, we can call them café muffins. See our recipe below.

English muffins
English muffins are made from a yeast risen dough, baked on a griddle or frying pan and split in half with a fork before eating.

Breakfast muffins
Muffins can be a healthy and nutritious breakfast, snack or picnic option when made with porridge, museli or swapping out some of the flour for whole meal flour.  Trying adding cheese or vegetables to batter for added protein and nutrients.

Berry muffins
When baking muffins with berries or fruit, you should make sure that the berries are not huge or soggy. They can sink to the bottom, the muffins become doughy and can stick to the molds. To avoid that, make sure that the berry or fruit is in smaller pieces and relatively dry. To further soak up moisture and help the berries stay suspended in the batter, toss them in potato flour or cornstarch.

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Recipe for three muffin varieties: Basic recipe for vanilla muffins, filled cupcakes and large café muffins.

Vanilla muffins
12 pcs normal size

2 eggs
180 g caster sugar
150 g of butter
100 ml of milk
210 g flour
2 tsp of vanilla sugar
2 tsp baking powder

Instructions:
Muffins:
1. Place 12 normal-sized muffin tins in a muffin tray. If you do not have such a sheet, use double paper forms.
2. Set the oven to 200 °C/392 °F.
3. Beat eggs and sugar till fluffy.
4. Melt the butter and add to mixture together with the milk.
5. Mix flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar and add to the mixture.
6. Divide the batter into the molds and bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until a skewer comes out dry.
7. Leave to cool on a baking rack under a baking cloth.

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Cupcakes with caramel and frosting
12 pcs normal size

2 eggs
180 g caster sugar
150 g of butter, room temperature
100 ml of milk
210 g flour
2 tsp of vanilla sugar
2 tsp baking powder
(20 g cocoa if you want chocolate muffins)
Filling:
130 g dulce de leche or other caramel sauce

Frosting:
75 g of butter, room temperature
200 g cream cheese
180 g of icing sugar
20 g cocoa

Instructions:

Muffins
1. Place 12 muffin tins in a muffin tray. If you do not have such a sheet, use double paper forms.
2. Set the oven to 200 °C/392 °F.
3. Beat eggs and sugar till fluffy.
4. Melt the butter and add together with the milk.
5. Mix flour, baking powder, (possibly cocoa) and vanilla sugar and add to the mixture.
6. Divide the batter into the molds and bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until a skewer comes out dry.
7. Leave to cool on a baking rack under a baking cloth.

Filling:
8. Hollow out the middle of the muffins with a tulle or a knife.
9. Spoon or pipe caramel sauce into the muffins.

Frosting:
10. Beat butter on medium-high speed until light in color.
11. Add cream cheese, cocoa and icing sugar, beat fluffy. If it gets too loose, you can put it in the fridge for a while.
12. Pipe or spread the frosting on the muffins.

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Café muffins with chocolate
12 pcs large muffins

300 g flour
40-80 g cocoa (to taste)
2 tsp vanilla sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
270 g caster sugar
190 g rapeseed oil
300 ml yoghurt, approx. 10% fat content
100 g light chocolate
100 g dark chocolate

Instructions:
1. Set the oven to 175 °C/347 °F. and place 12 large muffin tins in a muffins tray, alternatively place extra stable muffins tins on a regular tray.
2. Sift and mix the dry ingredients.
3. Beat eggs and sugar together on medium speed until fluffy.
4. Add oil and yoghurt, beat smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients and quickly whisk together to a smooth batter.
6. Coarsely chop the chocolate, or use chocolate buttons, and set aside about 1 dl.
7. Fold the rest of the chocolate into the batter.
8. Divide the batter into the muffin tins, fill almost completely and top with the saved chocolate.
9. Bake in the lower part of the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the muffins have stopped and a skewer comes out dry.
10. Leave to cool completely in the mold.

Good luck!