VLOG: do you know the muffin man

Let's take a walk down Drury Lane and talk about muffins!  Do you know the difference between a muffin and a cupcake?  Muffins generally are eaten for breakfast and because of that they are subtle in sweetness.  Muffins also have distinctive high peaks.  Cupcakes, on the other hand, are miniature forms of cake.  They are frosted and are very sweet and have flat tops.  In this vlog, I'll be discussing the very simple muffin method - that is to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine them together with minimal agitation.  This will help you to achieve the high muffin tops.

I'll be sharing two different recipes with you, but they'll contain the same scientific information. You can choose between the apple pie filled muffins or the banana chocolate chip muffins OR watch both.  These recipes are equally delish.  I'll also be sharing with you two versions of one song that I am featuring.  The artist is my dear friend Arielle DiGiacomo and she plays a mean ukulele.  Although the song was originally "untitled," it became known as the "lu-wish-cious" song because we were unable to clearly identify what she was saying.  At one point I thought it was "two wishes" but that's not it either.  I realize what it is now having listened to it several times (as I inadvertently do with all the songs I feature when I edit my vlogs), and who knows - maybe you'll get it the first time.  And lastly, these vlogs are considerably shorter than my previous ones; my plan is to keep the vlogs in the 3-5 min range.  Enjoy!






Apple Pie (filled) Muffins adapted from my own recipes!
Ingredients for 12 muffins
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar (and 2 tbsp for the filling)
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon (1 tsp for muffin and 1 tsp for apple pie filling)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (and a pinch for the filling)
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar)
1/3 cup canola oil
a pinch of salt
2 granny smith apples
2 tsp tapioca starch
1/3 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 400F.
2) Combine and sift the flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and salt together.  Set aside.
3) Blend the egg, sugars, and canola oil together and set aside.
4) Peel apples and shred one and dice the other.  Add the shredded apples to the wet mixture along with the buttermilk.
5) With the diced apples, mix in the tapioca starch, the spices, and sugar.  Set aside.
6) Add the wet ingredients into the dry.  Add in the walnuts, if using.  Combine just until moistened.  Do not over-mix.
7) Line muffin pan with liners or grease the pan.  Add approx. 1.5 tbsp to each cup.  Top with the apple pie filling and fill the cup with more batter until three-quarters full.
8) Bake for 18-20 mins.  Afterwards remove from pan and cool on kitchen towel bottom-side up.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins adapted from KeepYourDietReal
Ingredients for 12 muffins
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tbsp of chocolate chips
3 mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of milk
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/3 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions
1) Preheat the oven 400F and grease or place liners in a muffin pan.
2) Place the ripe peeled bananas in a bowl and mash well.
3) Add the oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla and mix throughly.
4) In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Add walnuts, if using.
5) Add the banana mixture to the dry mixture and combine until just blended and do not over-mix.
6) Fill each muffin up about 3/4 full.
7) Bake for 18-20 mins or until the tops are golden brown.  Afterwards remove from pan and cool on kitchen towel bottom-side up.