A muffin (American-style muffin in the UK) is a type of semi-sweet cake or quick bread that is baked in portions
appropriate for one person. They are similar to cupcakes, although they are usually less sweet and lack icing. Savory varieties, such as cornbread muffins or cheese muffins also exist.
The term also refers to a disk-shaped muffin bread, called an English muffin outside the United Kingdom. As American-style muffins are also available in Commonwealth countries, the term muffin can refer to either product, with the context usually making clear which is meant.
There are many varieties such as low-fat and flavors of muffins made with a specific ingredient such as blueberries, chocolate chips, poppy seeds, raspberry, cinnamon, pumpkin, date, nut, lemon, banana, orange, peach, strawberry, boysenberry, almond, and carrot, baked into the muffin. Muffins are often eaten for breakfast; alternatively, they may be served for tea or at other meals.
Types[]
There are many varieties of muffins.
Poppyseed muffin[]
Poppyseed muffins are one of the most popular types of muffin, especially in the United States. It is known both for the unique flavor of the poppy seed and for the false drug test results it can bring about due to trace amounts of narcotics, such as morphine.
English muffin[]
The English muffin is a type of yeast-leavened bread; generally about 4 inches round and 1 1/2 inches tall. Rather than being oven-baked, they are cooked in a griddle on the stove top and flipped from side-to-side, which results in their typical flattened shape rather than the rounded top seen in baked rolls or cake-type muffins. English muffins are usually split in two, toasted, traditionally in front of an open fire or stove using a toasting fork, and served hot with butter. Muffins are also served as a snack at cafes or split and filled like a sandwich.
Corn muffin[]
Muffins made from cornmeal are popular in the United States. Though corn muffins can simply be muffin shaped cornbread, corn muffins tend to be sweeter. Similar to the pan variety, corn muffins can be eaten with butter or as a side dish with stews or chili.
Blueberry muffin[]
The blueberry muffin is the official muffin of Minnesota. Blueberry lovers often enjoy their favorite fruit concealed in a baked batter with the result somewhat like a cupcake. Instead of the iced flat top of a cupcake the blueberry muffin puffs up and over the side.
.jpg "Mmm English muffins (5393409247).jpg (13 KB)")
Muffin Cups[]
Muffin cups or cases are usually round sheets of paper, foil, or silicone with scallop-pressed edges, giving the muffin a round cup shape. They are used in the baking of muffins to line the bottoms of muffin tins, to facilitate the easy removal of the finished muffin from the tin.