Thursday, October 23, 2008

Sweet Corn Muffins



This story starts with a lonely box of yellow cornmeal. I bought this box of cornmeal several weeks ago because I wanted to make the Fried Green Tomatoes that JS and TS of Eating Club Vancouver insist we try. This box has been sitting in my pantry untouched because I could not find large green tomatoes!!! I don't think that is a usual produce here... but I am still on the lookout for green tomatoes! Never say never...

Yesterday, I lovingly took out the box from the pantry, and took a good look at it. I was thinking of putting it to some other use. There were several recipes printed at the back of the box. The corn muffins recipe stood out. I just have all the ingredients on hand. Plus, it does not need a mixer. It only needs 2 bowls and a spatula or a wire whisk. Just mix, pour, bake! I love simple and easy to prepare recipes like this! Here is the exact recipe:

1 and 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2/3 C granulated sugar
1/2 C yellow cornmeal
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 and 1/4 C milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 C vegetable oil
3 T butter, melted


Of course, the adventurous (stupid?) newbie baker that I am, I have to make my own tweaks. I do not understand why I have this habit. I definitely have to change a thing or two in a recipe. Maybe this is why I can never be a good baker. Sometimes, the product that comes out is something I have imagined and wanted. (Like these sweet corn cupcakes.) Of course, sometimes, I get failures, too. Maybe this blog should be called a series of kitchen experiments. :) Anyway, here are my tweaks and why I did them:

Because I wanted to use the whole wheat flour I newly bought, and I wanted the muffins to have more "cornmeal" taste, I changed the proportion. I used 1 cup whole wheat flour to 1 cup of cornmeal.

I used washed brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar. Brown sugar has lower caloric value than the white sugar, and yet it has deeper flavor than the white sugar. I also added some honey, not only for the taste, but also for the color.

Because I wanted to make sure my muffins become fluffy, I added 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

Because I have read on various baking blogs that the addition of yogurt would make cakes moist, I figured, it would make the muffins moist as well. So, I reduced the amount of milk and added yogurt.

I used canola oil which is a healthier type of vegetable oil because of its low saturated fat content and high monosaturated fat content.

I added whole kernel corns,too. I figured most muffins have nuts, but since these are corn muffins, why not add whole kernel corns?

What else? Oh, I omitted the butter. I felt the muffins are already rich enough.


Here is the final recipe I used:

1 C whole wheat flour
1 C yellow cornmeal
1/3 C washed brown sugar
1 T baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 T salt
1 C fresh milk (you can use non-fat)
1/2 C creamy unflavored yogurt (you can also use non-fat)
2 T honey
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 C + 2 T canola oil
1 C whole kernel corns (I used canned, well drained)


1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 12 large muffin pans or line with paper cups.

2. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, the whole wheat flour, yellow cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

3. In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, yogurt, honey, canola oil. Add in the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add in the whole corn kernels as well. Stir just until blended. Do not overmix.

4. Spoon into prepared muffin pans or muffin cups filling only 2/3 full (or 3/4 full), bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for a few minutes. Remove to wire racks when warm enough for handling.






The result? Yummy, moist cupcakes filled with corn goodness and taste! Can you see from the picture that the original paper cups are so moist I have to add an additional layer of paper cups for serving?






Sharing these sweet corn muffins with The Heart of the Matter:Eating for Life community, hosted this month by Ilva of Lucillian Delights: An Italian Experience. The theme this month is yellow-orange. These corns muffins certainly are the perfect color! And they are made heart-healthy with using whole wheat flour, cornmeal and whole corn kernels, yogurt, and the omission of butter. The goal of this event is to encourage each one of us to cook healthier food, to be more proactive in taking care of our heart-health. Please check out her blog by the end of the month for the round-up of heart-healthy dishes.

34 comments:

Unknown said...

hey, this looks so good... yum... :)

Ivy said...

Join the club. You are not the only one experimenting. I think it is very boring to keep copying others' recipes. What's the point? I find your changes very creative and they look delicious.

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Thanks Mikky!

Thank you so much for the encouragement and support, Ivy! Wow! Coming from you, a veteran cook and blogger, this really means something! :)

mitch said...

hi,
it looks yummy. i just have a question i guess it's a stupid one but i'll ask anyway. what is the difference with baking powder and baking soda? because here in france i only find levure chimique and another levure boulanger which is used for bread. i already tried to make corn muffins but it didn't turn out quite well

Ilva said...

Thank you so much for your entry, it fits in perfectly!

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Hi Mitch! I think this site would explain the difference between baking powder and baking soda better than I can. I am not familiar with French words, so I cannot tell which is which :)

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm

Thanks Ilva! I'm very happy to be included in such a worthy event. :)

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Mitch, I just googled. :) levure chimique is baking powder. That's what you use for these sweet corn muffins. Levure boulanger is baker's yeast, not for muffins, but for breads.

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Hi Mitch, again, :) I think an important part of using baking powder is that once the liquid is mixed with the powder or dry ingredients, you have to bake them immediately. Cannot be stored in the refrigerator or they will not rise.

Susan @ SGCC said...

Great job on these muffins! They look very moist and delicious! I also love those pretty muffin cups.

Wandering Chopsticks said...

I think every cook tinkers with recipes in the kitchen. Love those pretty muffin cups!

mitch said...

Ok thanks well i'll try the original recipe for these muffins because i don't know if i have all the ingredients in your recipe :D

Ivy said...

I have an Award for you to collect.

Richard Lau said...

hello, 1st timer to post a comment,.. actually more of a request: appreciate if you can tell us where you bought the cornmeal... many thanks...

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Thanks Susan! Thanks WC! Those lovely muffin cups were a gift from my 5th sister. :) Don't you just love it when your sisters support your endeavors?

Thank you very much Ivy! This is truly an honor! :)

Hello and welcome Divesmashgolf! I bought the box of yellow cornmeal in a big supermarket chain here in Manila. At Unimart in Greenhills. It should be available in most big upscale supermarkets. Santi's should have them, too.

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Hi Mitch! I hope will let me know how your corn muffins will turn out! :)

TS of eatingclub vancouver said...

Thanks for the shout-out! I hope you will also develop cornmeal-love like I have. Teehee. You should try making corn toasties! =D

eatingclubvancouver_js said...

Thanks for the shout-out: the corn muffins look so soft and moist!

Soli Deo Gloria said...

TS, anytime :) I am beginning to love cornmeal since I love corn itself. I will learn to make corn toasties! :)

You're welcome JS! This is the first time I used yogurt. I think that made the muffins super moist.

Anonymous said...

i'm a newbie baker myself and constantly looking for new recipes...
i'll definitely try this one!

my ISKAndals are kitchen experiments hahaha!

lubnakarim06 said...

Sweet corn muffins look awesome.

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Hi Iska! I hope you get to try this and let me know how it turns out :)

Hi Kitchen Flavours! I'm glad you like it!

Anonymous said...

I can totally relate with tweaking recipes.. I do it all the time, too:)

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Thanks Jude!

Julia said...

I just made these muffins this morning on a cold snowy morning, north of Boston. They are delicious. I was very happy you used no white flower, and included corn. I actually only filled up the tins half way and so I had 24 muffins.

Thanks!

Soli Deo Gloria said...

Thanks, Hope! It gives me great pleasure to know that you enjoyed my recipes! :)

nitebeader said...

Where do you find such lovely baking cups?

Soli Deo Gloria said...

hello Nitebeader! My sister bought them from a bakery supplies shop in Singapore :) I know that information does no help much. Sorry...

Anonymous said...

hello! does "T" mean tbsp and "t" tsp?

Anonymous said...

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to cooking, but i am always on the lookout to try something new. I will definitely give this one a go.

Tilia Food Saver

Anonymous said...

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to cooking, but i am always on the lookout to try something new. I will definitely give this one a go.

Tilia Food Saver

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Sildenafil said...

That is one hell of a recipe, thanks for this one, it is a delicious combination for sure.

Prostrate Surgery said...

Love those pretty muffin cups!

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