I thought I would post this recipe which is one of my favourite recipes that I make over and over again. These my bee's are Butternut Squash muffins. Yes Butternut Squash, the veggie! Don't be fooled by that they taste amazing and go down a treat. Don't worry if you don't like butternut quash either because that honestly doesn't mean you won't like these. I have also made the same recipe with pumpkin before which worked just as well.
They sound strange, I know, but they taste amazing. Plus you can always justify these little pieces of heave by saying 'It's got vegetables in it!' Bonus !
If you have a food processor these are so easy to make, but don't worry if you don't have one you can still make them as I did before I got a processor.
You will need:
400g Butternut Squash
350g of Demerara Sugar
4 Large Free Range or Organic Eggs
2 heaped tsps Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch Salt
Handful of Nuts ( walnuts are really good, I actually quite like Brazil nuts if I have them in I really think they add something)
160ml of Olive Oil
1. Start by processing 400g of butternut squash, skin on until finely chopped. If you don't have a processor you can always put it in the oven to bake it until it is soft enough for you to scoop the flesh out and mash it.
2. Add 350g of demerara or soft brown sugar and crack in 4 large free range or organic eggs.
3. Give it a quick pulse or stir to combine.
4. Then add 300g of plain flour, 2 heaped teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, the handful of nuts and finally 160ml of olive oil.
6. Mix this all together until combined. Don't over work the mixture, you just want to combine the ingredients nicely.
This mixture should make over 12 muffins. I normally make 18 out of this, but last night when I made them I made 16 larger ones.
7. Use muffin cases and fill to about 3/4 of the way, then bake. I have an aga and I just put them in the middle to bottom of the top oven and bake for about 30 minutes, really I bake by eye so look for the signs. (This is equivalent to about 180/200 Degrees C I believe.)
8. You want them nicely coloured and crisp on top and use a skewer to see if they are cooked all they way through. If you don't have an aga I would suggest putting them in the oven at 180 and then just cook with love like i do. If you watch them and check them then you will be guaranteed gorgeous muffins in the end :)
9. Once your muffins are done and looking gorgeous like the ones above, remove them from the oven and cool on a wire cooling rack.
10. When the muffins are cool you can now ice them.
I suggest making the icing while you wait for them to cool, give you something to do. I never use measurements when I make icing I just tend to do it by eye.
For these muffins I just make a slightly runny royal icing with icing powder and either lemon or orange juice. Make up the icing and then add some of the zest of the lemon or orange and also, get ready to feel surprised, some lavender!
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| This is a photograph from my travels to the Isle of Wight taken in the gardens at Osborne House, how beautiful is it? |
Yes, Lavender! I love it, I think it makes them very unique and personally I think the lavender compliments the muffins perfectly.
11. You can either add the zest and lavender to the icing or just sprinkle on top.
I really hope someone reads this and bakes these muffins, I just love them!!!!
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