Is Muffin = Cupcake?

Blueberry Yogurt Muffin

I don't think muffin = cupcake for several reasons :

• muffins look bigger , of course :)
• cupcakes usually come with icing, frosting and now lots of 'cute and creative' toppings. Muffins, however only come with some simple icing sugar dust, drizzle or sometimes streusel.
• muffins use less eggs, oil/butter and more liquid and more flour while cupcakes usually are vice versa.
• muffins use 'stirring method' while cupcakes use 'creaming method'

In another words,
muffins = a loaf of quick bread divided into smaller servings
cupcakes = a butter cake divided into smaller servings

You may come across many muffin recipes which require 'creaming-butter method', which I would consider them NOT traditional muffins. Because there is no beating of butter or eggs involved in muffin making, the leavening of muffins depends largely on baking powder and soda. Using buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt also helps to make muffins moist and soft.

So, in my muffin recipes, they will be quick and easy ones, no beating involved. You simply use a  spatula/whisk to do the mixing. You can divide the batter into muffin moulds or pour it into a loaf tin.

Recipe for 
Blueberry Yogurt Muffin
(makes 10 or 1 loaf)

Ingredients 

 (A)

egg	2
butter, melted	50g
sour cream	100ml
plain yogurt	100ml

(B)

plain flour, sifted	200g
baking powder	2 tsp
salt	pinch
brown sugar	80g
blueberry	250g
chocolate chips (optional) dusting sugar(optional)

 Method

1. Stir wet ingredients (A) well.
2. Combine dry ingredients (B), excluding the blueberry,  together.
3. Pour (A) slowly into (B). Fold and combine the ingredients together. (TIPS: Do not overmix)
4. Add in the blueberry and chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into papercup-lined muffin moulds/pan (or a loaf tin)
6. Bake in oven, preheated 10min, at 170 degrees C for about 20 min.
7. Sprinkle top with dusting sugar when served. (optional)

You can try using the same recipe with different fruits or nuts instead of blueberry. BUT DON'T try with STRAWBERRIES! I did that when I could not find blueberries in the supermarket... I used diced strawberries and it was a DIASTER :( !! I think the strawberries are too heavy for the cake to rise up. HA HA :D

HAPPY EXPERIMENTING... that's what baking's all about !