Cheerful Muffins
On an afternoon when I didn’t feel like anything complicated, I quickly made muffins with my daughter. I had the silicone molds lying around in the cupboard for a while, and this recipe works well when you want to do something together with the kids, without stress or difficult steps. No special techniques are needed, just a few readily available ingredients and a bit of patience. For decoration, everyone can add what they like. We used colorful sprinkles and a bit of cocoa to make them look more cheerful.
Quick Info
Total time: about 50 minutes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12-14 muffins, depending on the size of the molds
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick dessert, suitable for kids or a snack
Ingredients
2 eggs
200 g sugar
400 g flour
40 ml oil
1 sachet vanilla sugar
300 ml yogurt
1 sachet baking powder
cocoa (for decoration, about a teaspoon)
sugar decorations – sprinkles, stars, or whatever you have on hand
Preparation Method
1. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and add the sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves well and the mixture becomes creamy.
2. Add the yogurt, oil, and vanilla sugar to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix briefly with the mixer.
3. In another bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder. Gradually pour the flour into the liquid mixture and gently mix with a spatula or whisk, just until the lumps disappear. Don’t overmix; the batter should be thick like a slightly denser sour cream.
4. Prepare the muffin molds. If using paper molds, lightly grease them with oil, then place them in the silicone molds. Fill each mold about three-quarters full with batter.
5. For decoration, mix a teaspoon of cocoa with a small amount of batter (in a separate bowl), then add a little on top of each muffin as you like.
6. Sprinkle sugar decorations or colorful sprinkles on top if you want something more playful.
7. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 140°C and bake for about 35 minutes. At the end, test with a toothpick: if it comes out clean, they are ready.
8. Remove the muffins from the oven, let them cool in the molds for a few minutes, then transfer them to a rack or plate.
9. Let them cool completely before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a handy recipe when I need something sweet without planning. The ingredients are simple, it doesn’t dirty many dishes, and the kids can help. They don’t dry out quickly and stay soft even the next day.
Tips and Variations
Tips
1. If using small molds, check the baking earlier.
2. The batter should not be overmixed after adding the flour, so it doesn’t become dense.
3. Don’t overfill the molds – the batter rises quite a bit while baking.
4. If you don’t have a mixer, the eggs and sugar can be whisked by hand, but it takes a little longer.
Substitutions
1. Yogurt can be replaced with kefir or buttermilk.
2. Vanilla sugar can be omitted or replaced with vanilla extract.
3. White flour can also be half whole wheat flour, but the texture will be denser.
Variations
1. You can add a handful of dried fruits or raisins to the batter at the end.
2. If you want chocolate muffins throughout, you can replace part of the flour with 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa.
3. For more colorful muffins, sprinkle sugar decorations after baking, not just before.
Serving Ideas
Muffins are great as a snack for school or with coffee. They can also be served with a bit of jam or yogurt on the side. At children's parties, colorful decorations make a difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use only paper molds?
Paper molds should be placed in silicone or metal molds; otherwise, the batter can spread while baking. If using only paper, don’t fill the molds too much and keep an eye on the oven.
What can I substitute for yogurt?
You can use kefir or buttermilk. Regular milk changes the texture, so I don’t recommend it.
How do I know for sure that the muffins are baked?
Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin towards the end of the baking time. If it comes out clean, without any batter, they are done.
Can I use less sugar?
Yes, you can reduce the sugar by 30-40 g if you want it less sweet. The structure won’t be affected.
Nutritional Values
Approximate values for one muffin (from 12):
Calories: approximately 220 kcal
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fats: 6 g
These are just estimates and depend on the accuracy of the measurements and the decorations used. Cocoa and decorations have a small contribution to calories per piece.
Storage and Reheating
Muffins should be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, the texture starts to change. I don’t recommend freezing them – they don’t have enough fat and can become gummy. If you want to reheat them, 10-15 seconds in the microwave is enough.
On an afternoon when I didn’t feel like anything complicated, I quickly made muffins with my daughter. I had the silicone molds lying around in the cupboard for a while, and this recipe works well when you want to do something together with the kids, without stress or difficult steps. No special techniques are needed, just a few readily available ingredients and a bit of patience. For decoration, everyone can add what they like. We used colorful sprinkles and a bit of cocoa to make them look more cheerful.
Quick Info
Total time: about 50 minutes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12-14 muffins, depending on the size of the molds
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick dessert, suitable for kids or a snack
Ingredients
2 eggs
200 g sugar
400 g flour
40 ml oil
1 sachet vanilla sugar
300 ml yogurt
1 sachet baking powder
cocoa (for decoration, about a teaspoon)
sugar decorations – sprinkles, stars, or whatever you have on hand
Preparation Method
1. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and add the sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves well and the mixture becomes creamy.
2. Add the yogurt, oil, and vanilla sugar to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix briefly with the mixer.
3. In another bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder. Gradually pour the flour into the liquid mixture and gently mix with a spatula or whisk, just until the lumps disappear. Don’t overmix; the batter should be thick like a slightly denser sour cream.
4. Prepare the muffin molds. If using paper molds, lightly grease them with oil, then place them in the silicone molds. Fill each mold about three-quarters full with batter.
5. For decoration, mix a teaspoon of cocoa with a small amount of batter (in a separate bowl), then add a little on top of each muffin as you like.
6. Sprinkle sugar decorations or colorful sprinkles on top if you want something more playful.
7. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 140°C and bake for about 35 minutes. At the end, test with a toothpick: if it comes out clean, they are ready.
8. Remove the muffins from the oven, let them cool in the molds for a few minutes, then transfer them to a rack or plate.
9. Let them cool completely before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a handy recipe when I need something sweet without planning. The ingredients are simple, it doesn’t dirty many dishes, and the kids can help. They don’t dry out quickly and stay soft even the next day.
Tips and Variations
Tips
1. If using small molds, check the baking earlier.
2. The batter should not be overmixed after adding the flour, so it doesn’t become dense.
3. Don’t overfill the molds – the batter rises quite a bit while baking.
4. If you don’t have a mixer, the eggs and sugar can be whisked by hand, but it takes a little longer.
Substitutions
1. Yogurt can be replaced with kefir or buttermilk.
2. Vanilla sugar can be omitted or replaced with vanilla extract.
3. White flour can also be half whole wheat flour, but the texture will be denser.
Variations
1. You can add a handful of dried fruits or raisins to the batter at the end.
2. If you want chocolate muffins throughout, you can replace part of the flour with 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa.
3. For more colorful muffins, sprinkle sugar decorations after baking, not just before.
Serving Ideas
Muffins are great as a snack for school or with coffee. They can also be served with a bit of jam or yogurt on the side. At children's parties, colorful decorations make a difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use only paper molds?
Paper molds should be placed in silicone or metal molds; otherwise, the batter can spread while baking. If using only paper, don’t fill the molds too much and keep an eye on the oven.
What can I substitute for yogurt?
You can use kefir or buttermilk. Regular milk changes the texture, so I don’t recommend it.
How do I know for sure that the muffins are baked?
Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin towards the end of the baking time. If it comes out clean, without any batter, they are done.
Can I use less sugar?
Yes, you can reduce the sugar by 30-40 g if you want it less sweet. The structure won’t be affected.
Nutritional Values
Approximate values for one muffin (from 12):
Calories: approximately 220 kcal
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fats: 6 g
These are just estimates and depend on the accuracy of the measurements and the decorations used. Cocoa and decorations have a small contribution to calories per piece.
Storage and Reheating
Muffins should be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, the texture starts to change. I don’t recommend freezing them – they don’t have enough fat and can become gummy. If you want to reheat them, 10-15 seconds in the microwave is enough.