The Best Basic Muffin Recipe | Plus Tips & Variations (2024)

5 from 12 votes

Course: Snacks

Cuisine: Muffins

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

• ▢ 265 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• ▢ 170 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 50 g (¼ cup) vegetable oil
• ▢ 240 g (1 cup) milk

Conventional Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 if using fan-forced).

• Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.

• Sift the self raising flour into a large bowl.

• Add the sugar and stir together.

• Create a well in the centre of the dry mixture.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, oil and milk.

• Pour the liquid into the well and very gently fold the mixture together (the batter should be slightly lumpy - do not over-mix).

• Gently fold through any add-ins.

• Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (fill ⅔ to the top).

• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.

• Allow to cool in the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Thermomix Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 if using fan-forced). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.

• Place the self raising flour into the TM bowl and sift by pressing Turbo 5 times.

• Add the remaining ingredients and mix on Speed 5 for 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 5 seconds (the batter should be lumpy).

• Use the spatula to gently fold through any add-ins.

• Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (fill ⅔ to the top).

• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool in the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Self-raising flour – otherwise known as self-rising flour. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own by adding 2 tsp baking powder to 1 cup plain flour.

Caster sugar– otherwise known as superfine sugar.

Oil – I use vegetable oil for my muffins. You can also use coconut oil however the texture will be different. Avoid olive oil as the flavour is over-powering.

Milk –full fat/full cream is best.

Don’t Over-Mix The Ingredients -The most important thing of all is to make sure that you don’t over-mix the ingredients! Over-mixed muffins will be dense and tough.. yuck! Gently mix the ingredients together until just combined (a few lumps are fine) and then carefully fold through your add-ins.

Seperate The Wet & Dry Ingredients -Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix the wet ingredients in another bowl.Thismeans that when you pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, you’ll only have to gently mix them together.

Crunchy Topped Muffins (optional) -For delicious crunchy topped muffins, sprinkle a little raw sugar over the top just before baking. Yum!

Muffin Cases -Use muffin casesand you wont have to worry about washing up.

Place Rice Into The Base Of The Tray -In order to avoid your paper muffin cases becoming soggy and oily, place a small amount of uncooked rice in the bottom of each muffin hole in the tray. Discard after cooking the muffins.

Don’t Over-Fill The Muffin Holes -Fill your muffin cases ⅔ full – this will give you perfect muffins without them spilling all over your baking tray.

Cooling The Muffins -Allow your muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing Muffins -Muffins are best eaten on the day that they’ve been cooked, however, you can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Freezing Muffins -Freeze muffins in airtight sealable plastic bags or wrap in plastic wrap and place into an airtight container.Frozen muffins are perfect for lunch boxes – they’ll be defrosted by recess time!