Muffins are common food for breakfasts in the U.S. However, some people eat them also for desserts with any meal. These small size breads can fit in a palm of the adults’ hand. Therefore, their preparation requires less cooking time compare to regular size breads. Usually muffins are filled with blueberries, apples, bananas, nuts, chocolate chips, etc… People like them for its taste and nutrition.

In order to make muffins you need to have at least an electrical or gas oven, muffin (cupcake) pans and paper liners, two large mixing bowls, and measuring cups. You should also have the following ingredients:

- 1 3/4 cup* of flour

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 2 1/2 tsp** of baking powder

- 1/2 tsp of baking soda

- 1/2 tsp of salt

- 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon (optional)

- 2 eggs

- 1/4 cup of butter

- 3 tsp of orange juice

- 1 tsp of vanilla

- 3/4 cup of blueberries (strawberries, bananas, nuts, apples – whatever you have in the fridge) (optional).

* 1 cup - 250 milliliters
** 1 tsp - tea spoon (app. 4.9 ml.)

Cooking directions

You have to mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. In addition, separately following ingredients needs to be blend, such as soften butter, orange juice, milk, eggs, and vanilla. For that it is better to use a hand or table mixer, however, you can mix it for a few minutes just with a standard tablespoon as well. However, if you don’t use the mixer, then it is better to add one egg at a time to this liquid mixture and blend it well.

Your oven should be preheated to 400 degree Fahrenheit.

After that you need to combine dry and liquid mixtures from two bowls in order to make batter. If you feel that it is a little bit too runny for any reason you can add more flour, but add it one tablespoon of flour at a time in order to make not dry. If you put too much flour then you can fix that by adding one or two spoons of milk to that batter. It should be a semiliquid mixture; otherwise your muffins will be dry. Let it stay for about two minutes.

Next step is to put paper liners into muffin pans. After that spoon the batter into paper liners until 2/3 full. You need to bake them about 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. It is a good idea to start checking your muffins for readiness a little bit early in order to not over bake them. If you over cooked them, your muffins might be dry also. After you take out them from the oven you should let it stay for a few minutes. You can remove paper liners from muffins or leave as it is - it will not affect the taste.  Now they are ready and you can serve them.

If you put your favorite frosting on top of your muffins they will turn nicely to even more delicious cupcakes.