Sunday, January 6, 2013

Orange-Rhubarb Muffins

Sense of Home Kitchen

Orange-Rhubarb Muffins
~by Sense of Home Kitchen~

I used rhubarb that I froze last summer and I liked the results that gave me.  I drained it very well, even squeezing out the juice so that it would not add moisture to the batter.  I found that squeezing the moisture out made the rhubarb like raisins in the muffin, a little chewy and slightly tart, I liked that surprise of something different.  If you are making these in the spring or summer and only have fresh rhubarb the rhubarb will be moist and yummy, a little different, but still very good.

Makes 12 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb, or 1 cup chopped, frozen and thawed rhubarb, drained and squeezed
2 teaspoons grated orange peel

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F.  

Line twelve regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners.  Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.  Whisk orange juice, melted butter, eggs, and orange extract in large bowl to blend.  Add dry ingredients gradually stirring to combine.  Fold in rhubarb and orange peel.  Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups  Bake until golden and tester inserted into center of muffins comes out clean, about 25 minutes.  Transfer muffins from tin to rack and cool.