Cranberry Orange Muffin

Photo courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

The recipe I am going to share today is a Cranberry Orange Muffin. I have had Blueberry, Banana, Chocolate Chips and many other types of muffins with different flavors but there is something special about this muffin. I think about Cranberries and I immediately think of fall and holidays. This muffin actually looks like fall colors with the orange and reddish maroon tinges in it. This is one flavor which I have never tasted in any Indian bakery and that may be because Cranberries are not easily available in the Indian grocery shops like other fruits and believe me, we have some amazing fruits in India like Mango, Lychee and Guava which are considered pretty exotic.

So, what do Cranberries taste like?

Hmm... interesting. I think Cranberries are tart and sour and that’s why I love to pair them with other flavors. The Cranberry Orange muffin is a perfect example. The first time I ordered this muffin I thought I will be eating something really sweet but as soon as I took the first bite, I was completely fascinated by the balance of flavors. The tartness of the Cranberries with the sweetness of Oranges creates a perfect sweet tart flavor and the citrusy fragrance of the Orange juice and zest is always so fresh it almost makes me drool even before biting into the muffin. Believe me this muffin is as good as it looks.

My introduction to Cranberries:

The first time I had Cranberries was at the Thanksgiving dinner at Vicki and Calvin’s house. You guessed it, I had the classic Thanksgiving Cranberry sauce. At that time, I was new to baking. I had no idea that Cranberries are so versatile. You can literally add Cranberries in anything, the list is endless. Be it breads, bagels, pies or salads, Cranberries give another flavor profile to the dish.

Can I freeze Cranberries?

Of course you can! In fact, this is what I always do. I get a big packet of Cranberries and freeze them. This gives me the flexibility to bake these delish muffins all year round whenever I feel like. If you don’t have enough space in the freezer, then don’t fret, dried Cranberry packets are available in every grocery shop all year round and can be easily substituted for fresh Cranberries in many recipes.

Can I freeze the muffin batter?

I read somewhere that the muffin batter can be frozen and reused later so I tried it. Alas! Didn’t turn out good at all. Considering that the recipe is really simple I would urge you not to freeze any left over batter. Just bake it all. Its anyway too delicious to leave out.

When can I eat this scrumptious muffin?

Cranberry Orange muffins can be eaten as breakfast or with any meal. I love to eat them with a cup of hot coffee. You can also take them for an eat out in a picnic basket or serve them as a dessert. I love to bake these muffins when Debarshi is in office so that when he comes home I can surprise him with a sweet muffin.

So, this fall bring the colors into your kitchen by baking these treats.

Ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour - 2 Cups
• Sugar (or Truvia) – ¾ Cup 
• Baking Powder – 1 Teaspoon  
• Baking Soda – ½ Teaspoon  
• Salt – ½ Teaspoon  
• Fresh Cranberries - 1 Cup, Washed, Chopped and Seeded
• Egg - 1
• Orange Juice – ¾ Cup 
• Vegetable Oil – ¼ Cup 
• Grated Orange Rind – 1 Teaspoon (Grate the skin not the white part)

Directions:

• In a bowl, sift and combine all the dry ingredients (Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt)
• Stir in the Cranberries.
• In a different bowl, beat the Egg, Orange Juice, Oil and Orange Rind.
• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Add to the dry ingredients all at once.
• Stir just to moisten.
• Prepare the muffin baking tray - arrange muffin cups on them and grease them with Oil.
• Fill the muffin batter into the cups using a spoon or scoop. Fill up to ¾ full.
• Sprinkle the tops of the cups lightly with a bit of sugar.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-16 minutes until they are light brown in color and firm to the touch.
• If you are baking multiple batches using only one muffin tray, let the hot muffins cool for a minute or two before removing them from the tray and putting them on a cooling rack.
• Enjoy these scrumptious Muffins with a cup of Coffee and breakfast.

Recommended Reading:

• Muffin Making and Baking Tips
• It's all about Cranberries!
• Muffin Making and Baking Tips 102
• Blueberry Orange Muffin
• Chocolaty Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Picnic at Smithville Lake, Missouri
• Fabulous Lemon Muffins with Lemon Syrup
• Basic Kitchen Measurements
• Delicious Chocolate Orange Muffins
• Chocolate and Vanilla Half and Half Muffins
• Yummy Brownies
• Easy Pecan Pie