Vegan Doughnut Muffins
with strawberry rhubarb compote
I am constantly perusing recipes on my phone. If I find something interesting I place it on my desktop, or if it looks really good, I print it and 95% of the time try it. Because of the internet, my ridiculous collection of cookbooks has been reduced to three shelves instead of six, with a promise to never buy any more COOKBOOKS! That didn't last long when I saw used cookbooks on chocolates and desserts by Alice Medrich . I mean honestly, the most expensive of the four was under $7 and was in Excellent condition. Then there was the Julia Child and Jack Peppin cookbook for $1 at a church sale. That is not really buying a cookbook, it is a donation. I delude myself often!!
My latest recipe find was Doughnut Muffins from the King Arthur website. I dislike muffins-if I want cake I will eat cake- but Iove donuts but don't eat them because they don't "agree with me." That is such a funny saying, like the doughnut is pro life and I am pro choice, it doesn't agree with me so I won't eat it. No, it repeats on me, yet another funny expression, as if all day it reminds me I ate a doughnut. Well that is actually exactly what it does! I digress, I made this muffin immediately because if it tastes like a doughnut...nirvana!
I made the recipe as is, almost, I added a strawberry rhubarb layer (it is RHUBARB season) and it was incredible. It tasted like a doughnut! So knowing the recipe works, the next step was to make it vegan! I have had many many failures trying this transition but have gotten to the point where I know pretty much what will work and what will not. I have become fearless with flaxseed meal. I immediately substituted 1 T of flaxseed for each egg with 3 T of water. The butter was changed out for Vegan Smart Balance and the milk cashew milk. The flavor was fantastic, it tasted just like a doughnut! I would use soy milk next time because it is thinner than cashew and the batter was very thick. I froze all the muffins.
Breakfast this morning was so obvious, a vegan doughnut muffin slathered in strawberry rhubarb compote. I'll post the recipe for that next!!
So here is the recipe.
Vegan Doughnut Muffins
Batter
- 1/4 cup vegan margarine
- 1/4 cup sunflower or safflower oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 T flaxseed meal in 1/2 of water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups Organic All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup cashew milk
Topping
- 3 tablespoons melted smart balance
- 3 tablespoons or cinnamon sugar (3T sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, blend well)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper or silicone muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth.
- Add the liquid flax seed mixture beating to combine.
- Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.
- Stir the flour into the margarine mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined. The vegan batter was very thick and needed more liquid because the cashew milk is so thick. Add 1/4-1/2 cup water to get a thinner batter consistency if you use a thick nut milk.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.
- Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
- Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter for the topping (this is easily done in the microwave).
- Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the margarine, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Or simply dip the tops of muffins into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar.
- Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Store for a day or so at room temperature or freeze
- Yield: 12 muffins.