She Strengthens

Sweet Surprise Muffins

A Delicious Twist on Classic Morning Pastries

Imagine the perfect blend of jelly doughnuts and berry muffins, transformed into a subtly sweet vegan treat. These morning pastries are a game-changer, and you get to choose the jam that strikes your fancy – or add a surprise twist with chocolate or mashed bananas!

The Secret to Success

To ensure your muffins turn out perfectly, remember to use standard 2-1/2-inch diameter muffin liners. Without them, the jelly will leak out and stick to the pan, ruining the surprise.

Recipe Highlights

• Yield: 12 muffins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Total Time: About 50 minutes

Gather Your Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup plain soy or rice milk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup raspberry, strawberry, or grape jam or preserves
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Let’s Get Baking!

1. Preheat and Prepare: Heat your oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a 12-well muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. Mix and Combine: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy or rice milk, vinegar, and cornstarch until the cornstarch dissolves. Pour this into the well in the flour mixture. Add the granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla, and stir until combined (with a few lumps).
3. Create the Surprise: Fill each muffin well about three-quarters full. Using a spoon, create a small indentation in the batter by spreading it from the middle out toward the edges. Measure 1 heaping teaspoon of jam or preserves and place the back of the teaspoon inside the indentation. Rotate the spoon, letting the jam slide into the indentation. Repeat in each well.
4. Bake and Enjoy: Bake until the tops of the muffins are firm, about 21 to 23 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.