Orange and Cardamom Muffins Recipe
Delightful Orange and Cardamom Muffins that combine the zesty brightness of orange with the warm, aromatic spice of cardamom. These moist, flavorful muffins make a perfect breakfast treat or an afternoon snack, featuring a lightly crisp top sprinkled with sparkling sugar.
- Author: Rico
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-22 minutes
- Total Time: 30-32 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- Zest of 1 large orange, finely grated
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cardamom (use 1 1/2 teaspoons for a more pronounced cardamom flavor)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping
- 3 tbsp sparkling sugar (or regular sugar)
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a muffin tin or line it with muffin liners to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, orange juice, and finely grated orange zest until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt evenly.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Gently fold the batter together using a spatula until just combined with no dry flour visible, being careful not to overmix to keep muffins tender.
- Fill Muffin Tin and Add Topping: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin compartments. Sprinkle the tops with sparkling sugar for a subtle crunch and sparkle.
- Bake the Muffins: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until the muffins have risen, edges are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean without wet batter.
- Cool and Serve: Remove muffins from the oven and let cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm for best flavor.
Notes
- For a stronger cardamom flavor, increase the cardamom to 1 1/2 teaspoons as noted.
- Using sparkling sugar adds a pretty, crunchy topping, but regular sugar works if unavailable.
- Ensure not to overmix the batter to keep muffins light and tender.
- These muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Enjoy warm with butter or plain as a delightful snack.
Keywords: orange cardamom muffins, citrus muffins, breakfast muffins, spiced muffins, easy muffin recipe