Spice muffins

It’s wonderful to see my little sister become an adult but being around her certainly reminds me that time really flies. I don’t have a problem with that – at least not yet – and the age gap between us sometimes delivers funny moments: when we watched “The Social Network” together last year I had to explain to her what Napster was. :D

Another sign I’m getting old: there are days that the thought of going somewhere gets me tired already. I prefer to stay home, with a good book or a good movie, and a muffin on the side – since I had no fruit to bake with (not even lemons or oranges, the horror, the horror), spices came to my rescue.

Spice muffins
from Deborah Madison’s vegetarian bible

2 ½ cups (350g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¾ cup (132g) light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups (320ml) buttermilk*
1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Butter a muffin pan with twelve 1/3 cup (80ml) capacity muffin cups or line them with paper cases.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined – do not overmix; batter should be lumpy.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups. Bake until golden and risen and a skewer inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 to 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.

*homemade buttermilk: to make 1 cup buttermilk place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a 240ml-capacity measuring cup and complete with whole milk (room temperature). Wait 10 minutes for it to thicken, then use the whole mixture in your recipe

Makes 12