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Sunday Classics: Festive cranberry orange muffins

Use your Christmas leftovers for this delicious quick fix

Want to experience the flavours of the season but not the ordeal of making an elaborate Christmassy cake? Try these muffins that sing of orangey goodness and look great with pops of cranberry pink.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (115g) butter or ghee or a mix of both, room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (120g) yogurt flavoured or plain (or sour cream)
2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 2 oranges 
1 and 3/4 cups (219g) maida 
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp (30ml) orange juice (double if you can’t use orange zest)
2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk 
1 and 1/2 cups (185g) fresh or dry cranberries

For glaze:
1/2 cup (60g) icing sugar
3 tbsp (45ml) orange juice

Method:

1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat it on high speed for about two minutes. Add eggs, yogurt and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for a minute and then high speed until it is all combined. If you have orange zest, add and combine.
2. In a large bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and whisk slowly. Add orange juice (a little extra if you don’t have orange zest), and milk and combine till uniform. Fold in the cranberries.  (Tip: Soak dry cranberries in warm water for a while and drain before adding.)
3.  Spoon (or scoop) batter into greased muffin moulds filling them till the top. Bake in a preheated oven, at 218°C for the first five minutes and then at 177°C for the next 18-20min until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. For the glaze, whisk together orange juice and icing sugar. If you want a sweet, thick glaze, add more icing sugar, and if you would like a more liquid glaze, add more orange juice. Drizzle over warm muffins.

^{_{- Rumela Basu}}