Cardamon-Almond Muffins
Submitted by Fergie
Vegan cardamom almond muffins made with whole wheat pastry flour, pear puree, and soy milk. Fragrant, low-fat, and egg-free with warm spice and almond flavor.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThese vegan muffins smell incredible. Cardamom and almond extract fill the kitchen with a warm, floral-nutty aroma that makes you think something far more indulgent is baking.
Whole wheat pastry flour keeps the crumb tender without the heaviness of regular whole wheat flour. Pear puree replaces the fat you’d normally get from butter or oil, adding natural moisture and a gentle sweetness. Combined with soy milk and lemon juice, the batter stays light and soft.
The cornstarch is easy to overlook but it matters. Make sure it’s fully dissolved in the liquid before mixing. Lumps of dry cornstarch bake into chalky pockets that ruin an otherwise tender muffin.
Chef Tips
- Stir the batter just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in whole wheat flour fast, and you’ll end up with tough, dense muffins instead of soft ones.
- The muffin wells will only be half full, and that’s right. These don’t rise into tall domes. They bake into compact, moist muffins.
- Canned pears packed in juice work best for the puree. Blend until completely smooth, and use the juice to replace some of the soy milk for extra natural sweetness.
Variations
- Add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to the batter for crunch and a classic pairing with almond.
- Top each muffin with a few sliced almonds before baking for a nutty, toasty crust.
- Swap cardamom for ground ginger and add a pinch of cloves for a spiced pear muffin variation.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Coat 10 muffin wells with non- stick spray.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, stir together remaining ingredients.
The cornstarch will tend to stick together as a lump; make certain it is completely dissolved in the liquid.
Pour dry ingredients in to wet and stir just long enough to mix completely.
Spoon batter into the prepared muffin wells (the wells will be about half-full).
Bake muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, until tops are lightly golden.
Allow the muffins to rest a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Serve, or cool completely and store in an air-tight container up to two days.
Pear puree: Purée is easily made by blending, until smooth, half of the fruit in a 15 oz. container of canned pears (packed in fruit juice is preferrable) .
“Baby food” puréed pears are an even faster alternative.
Note: If pears packed in juice are used, ¼ cup of the juice can be substituted for ¼ of the soymilk and the sweetener omitted.
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