Average is Better: Applesauce Muffins

Sometimes a girl needs an average sort of muffin. Someone wholesome and reliable, the sort of muffin you can bring home to your parents and count on to get along with your best cup of tea, mug of coffee, even your favourite stew.

This average applesauce muffin forgoes fluffiness for a moist, honest-to-goodness crumb. He skips over-the-top sweetness and goes straight to a hint of brown sugar and honey. He can’t be bothered with fussy frosting (vanity is sooooo unattractive in a muffin) for an aww-shucks slice of apple. And best of all, you can always count on him to rise to the occasion when it really counts.

Your mothers were right, ladies. When it comes to applesauce muffins (and men), “average” is actually better.

{RECIPE} APPLESAUCE MUFFINS

{MAKES} 12 muffins

{INGREDIENTS}

1 C unsweetened applesauce

1/3 C vegetable oil

1/4 C honey

1 egg slightly beaten

2 C all purpose flour

1/4 C brown sugar (for a sweet muffin, double the brown sugar to 1/2 C)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 large apple, diced (approx. 1 C)

additional 1/2 apple, thinly sliced for garnish

{DIRECTIONS}

one. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

two. Prepare muffin tins by lining with paper muffin cups, or by greasing each muffin tin with vegetable oil or non-stick spray.

three. Peel (if you want to peel) and dice 1 large apple and set aside for the muffin batter. Then, thinly slice the remaining 1/2 apple and set aside for a simple garnish.

four. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together applesauce, vegetable oil, honey and egg with a rubber spatula.

five. In a large mixing bow, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

six. Fold in 1C chopped apple.

seven. Make a well in the centre of flour mixture and pour in applesauce mixture, all at once. Using a rubber spatula, fold ingredients together until juuuuust moistened.

eight.With a large spoon, divide the batter into muffin cups.

nine. Garnish each muffin with a slice of apple. (I stuck my apple slices vertically into each muffin at a jaunty angle.)

ten. Bake for 350 degrees until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted in the centre of each comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.