What a pleasure it is to set out a basket of these rhubarb muffins…although the basket doesn’t stay full for very long! I have six children and two grandsons, so I do a lot of baking. The snacks are based on a coffee cake recipe. —Sandra Moreside, Regina, Saskatchewan
Oh, is not seasonal baking such a thrilling endeavour? I just adore rhubarb and so taking it in late spring is like such a luxury and a treat. The instant one sets eyes on those erect, bright pink and perky rhubarb stalks at farmers market or the grocery store, it is high time to get down to the recipe for these rhubarb muffins. This is contest-winning recipe indeed starting with the muffin on the bottom that has tender crumb and is specked with rhubarb right up to the gorgeous topping of cinnamon and pecans. These are muffins that combine the pleasant feeling one gets only on the first 75-degree spring days.
See more of our top muffin recipes for spring to properly embrace the season and any reason to wander farmers market.
Ingredients for Rhubarb Muffins
Butter: Ensure the butter is softened so it can cream with the sugars and form those high valued air pockets. Softening butter is very important when baking especially when baking cakes Just in case you realize you have not left the butter to soften, here are the easy methods you can use.
Sugars: Brown sugar and granulated sugar are both used in this rhubarb muffin recipe we have provided here. With crisping, granulated sugar is to be used while moistness and tenderness are achieved with the use of the brown sugar.
All-purpose flour: This type of flour is best for muffin recipes and it is our pick. Through experience, it is learned that all-purpose flour provide the right amount of support and strength in order to achieve a tall muffin with a moist interior.
Sour cream: Although usually used in savoury dishes sour cream imparts a pleasant sour note as well as a certain richness to these rhubarb muffins. None on stock, but want to avoid the need to visit the store yet? Here is a list of substitutes for sour cream you might want to give a try.
Rhubarb: You can even use frozen rhubarb here or opting for fresh rhubarb I have used both depending on the season. Rhubarb is harvested in late spring, and so it is fresh and usually can be bought at a farmers market or on a supermarket. Occasionally prior to purchasing, the green leaves on a rhubarb may already be harvested because while the stalks are edible the leaves are in fact poisonous.
Pecans: The nuts are nuts are pecans, cinnamon, sugar and butter which is used to prepare a crunchy top for these muffins.
Directions
Step 1: Cream the wet ingredients
For the preparation of the dish, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy five to seven minutes using a hand or stand mixer. If you crack the egg and then beat them and spices, you’ll notice that it is well mixed.
Editor’s Tip: Sarg ‘not a second faster than’ taking that rubber spatula and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl just enough to make sure all the dry particles have incorporated.
Step 2: Beat in the flour mixture and sour cream
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, and beat just until no flour streaks remain. Add in the sour cream, and beat well.
Simply incorporate the remainder of the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Fold in the rhubarb.
Editor’s Tip: Do not overmix after having added the flour mixture to the creamy mixture as this will result in the production of tough muffins.
Step 3: Scoop the batter
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, or grease the muffin tin with baking spray. Fill the muffin tins three-fourths full with the batter.
- Editor’s Tip: This rhubarb muffin recipe makes 1-1/2 dozen muffins, so you’ll either need to use two muffin tins or to bake the muffins in batches. We like to use a cookie scoop to fill the muffin tins. It’s cleaner and creates consistency!
Step 4: Create the topping
In a small bowl mix the pecans with the brown sugar and the cinnamon. Mix the butter into the other ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the muffin batter.
Step 5: Bake
This should take between 22 and 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for five minutes in the pan. Finally take the muffins out from the pans and place them on wires rack. Wash them, then warm, figures don’t lie— We eat ’em with a pat of butter.
- Recipe Variations
Add extra fruit: Substitute rhubarb with strawberries in equal proportions that is, Rhubarb-strawberries or try out our strawberry-rhubarb muffins. Substitute it with mixed berries or stone fruits as the case may be.
Make a streusel topping: You prefer your sweets a bit grainy? Don’t add the pecan topping in this recipe; here are some options for a topping we love: streusel. In one small bowl mix 1 cup of sugar with 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 tsp cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup cold butter and mix with a pastry blender or two knives until the butter is the size of small peas; sprinkle evenly over batter in cups. Best prepared according to these cooking instructions, bake the muffins using the recipe above.
Add some extract: Finally, to build on the sweet springy taste which this rhubarb muffin recipe incorporates, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of floral vanilla extract, or 1/2 teaspoon of almond to match with the pecan-cinnamon topping.Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed
- TOPPING:
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cold butterDirections
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl beat at medium speed butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg. Add to creamed mixture; in turn, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt with the sour cream, beat after each addition. Fold in rhubarb.
Use paper lined or greased muffin tins two- three-fourths full. For topping, mix the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well with butter until the mixture formed is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.
Bake until you test with a toothpick in the centre of the cake and it comes out clean, approximately 22-25 minutes. When baked cool for 5 minutes before taking out from the pans on wire racks. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts1 muffin: Ann: 238 calories, 11g fat – 5g saturated fat, 36mg cholesterol, 149mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate – 22g sugars, 1g fibre, 3g protein. Tim: 238 calories, 11g fat – 5g saturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 149 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate – 22 g sugars, 1 g fibre,
