Shakin & Bakin Foodie Blog

I love making and baking a wide variety of muffin recipes for my family. We enjoy having homemade muffins in the morning for breakfast with our coffee or in the afternoon with a hot cup of tea. Here is one of my family's favorite recipes for homemade pear and currant spice muffins. This recipe will make 8-12 muffins, depending on how full you fill the muffin cups.

Pear and Currant Spice Muffins Recipe

1 (16-ounce) can pears, drained and diced
3/4 cup apple juice concentrate
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup wheat bran
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup currants plumped

Combine apple juice concentrate and vanilla extract in a bowl. Soak chopped pears in this mixture while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and wheat bran. Add the vegetable oil, lightly beaten egg whites, and plumped currants to the pear mixture, and gently stir. Pour this over the dry ingredients, and mix with a fork, just until moistened.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 18 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes.