Blueberry Muffins at the Beach Cottage Cafe

Gday!  Australia Calling! 

I don’t know whatever happened to summer over this way…so I’m broadcasting to you loud & clear from good old Down Under sans sunshine mais avec muffins. 

  

You already know I am not a baker, I won’t bore you any further with that…but today with rain lashing down I decided there was nothing other to do than to potter in the kitchen, coffee brewing happily and make my family some home cooked fare.

     

A few years ago now, long before this blog, I decided to take myself on a baking challenge, I think I’ve blogged about it before, and was determined to have just a few recipes under my belt so that my lovely BC children didn’t think cakes came from Betty Crocker and my husband thought he was onto a good thing. 

   

This here is one of those said recipes, the BC Go-To Muffin Mix.  You can sling just about anything at it in the way of fruity or not-so-fruity additions and it will take it laying down…and much more importantly it doesn’t require you to be precise…the only measuring equipment you’ll need is a cup….my kinda slapdash recipe. 

     

This morning I had also, other than the grey sky, a few reasons to get my posterior up and into the kitchen…

1. I am creeping to Mr BC cos I want something reeeeaaaaal nice from the Frenchy shop but it is reeeeeaaaaaaly not in any shape or form errrm cheap and after an early morning of surf patrol I thought home-made muffins might do the trick.

 2.  My kids like muffins for breakfast & I refuse to let them eat E-Muffins

3. I had Ballbag Blueberries (errm yeah my blueberries were on their last legs). 

 

4. (and the real reason) I wanted to play food stylists

These can be whipped up in minutes, and truly, I wouldn’t lie, you will look like a goddess, but underneath while you are smirking in pleasure, you, and only you, will know that it really was easier than ripping open a Betty Crocker.

Bye from Greytown

Aaaasarah

  

 

 

 Go here to continue to the recipe….

BC Go-To Blueberry Muffins

 

2 cups flour 

1/2 cup butter melted

1/2 cup sugar 

3tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt 

1 cup blueberries (or other fruit)

rind of 1 lemon

1 egg

1 cup milk 

 

1. mix dry ingredients in bowl & lemon rind

2. mix all other ingredients in separate bowl

3. fold wet ingredients into dry (will be thick & dense)

4. do not over stir

5. add blueberries, fold in lightly

6. bake on high 15 mins

 

**BC Note  this is a non-sweet breakfast muffin…just how I like it…you may want to double the sugar

*edited to add: I bake these at 200C but my oven runs cool*

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Alison says:

    Thanks so much for sharing your go to recipe, I’m looking forward to trying it out. I’m regretting eating my whole punnet of raspberries yesterday, they would have been a good addition too i think. Love the paper cases.

  2. i have some frozen raspberries in the freezer, these may just be the perfect way to use them up.

  3. carla says:

    thanks Sarah, I’m also no baker but I think I may be able to manage this ;o)

  4. Sarah SB says:

    oh yum to those muffins & your stylin ;)

  5. Michelle says:

    Very, very funny post Sarah.

  6. kath says:

    Muffins look great! What kind of paper did you use for the wrappers? Love that look. I am your kink of baker(not really one at all) but if it looks pretty I am more apt to make it…thanks, kath

    • sarah says:

      it is just greaseproof paper cut into squares and stuffed in the muffin tin :-)

      • katie in WA, USA says:

        that you get where?

        • sarah says:

          supermarket aisle

          you might call it wax paper/baking paper

          • i found the wrappers in my local IGA supermarket in WA (in with the patty cases) they come in a box of 24 for just under $3.50 i think it was.

            have the muffins in the oven now and the kitchen smells delightful.

            Made raspberry one but didnt have any lemon rind so used lemon balm from the garden.. cant wait to try one.

          • sarah says:

            wow I have *never seen them like that…my local IGA is great, such a good shop, I will look there, tho now I’ve ‘made’ them myself I’m not sure I can buy them

            thanks for the tip

            I hope they are nice!

  7. Bethan says:

    Even the muffins look stylish. Looking forward to trying out the recipe, thanks. X

  8. Barefoot Liz says:

    Oh those blueberry muffins look so delicious!

  9. Kathy says:

    Definately it calls for home baking on a rainy day. Here in Queensland we did have a fine day but at the moment they seem to be few and far between. Think we’ll have to make an Arc shortly…..Kathy

  10. Kathy says:

    PS…….. love the wire basket…

  11. Ldom says:

    Love the muffins in the grease proof paper. Makes them look very chic and coffee shop styled. I think I might have to try presenting them this way too! Your pictures are, as always, amazing. They are definitely magazine worthy! Are you sure you’re not some fancy stylist?? If not you most definitely should be. Lx

  12. Lori H says:

    Love the way you styled your muffins! I froze alot of blueberries this summer and plan to try out this yummy-looking recipe very soon.

  13. Fiona says:

    You certainly know how to take great photos.Excellent styling. Fiona

  14. Where did you find the sweet muffin papers? In America we have more of a cupcake paper we use for muffins, but I love the ones you used

    • sarah says:

      I made them cos I had run out…soooo easy

      just a square of wax/greaseproof/baking paper stuffed into the muffin pan

  15. Oops, I just read up a comment or two and saw how you made them, awesome

  16. bec says:

    Gorgeous post sarah. So stylish. i have just cleaned my house (it took ages) and have sat down and “rewarded” myself with reading your blog… Your post was a fantastic reward!! t… and i can’t wait to mess my kitchen up again and make those muffins.
    Thanks for sharing and for your great blog!

  17. You’ve inspired me to bake muffins this weekend. Lovely photos, as usual.

    xoxo

  18. Dream Mom says:

    A+ for food styling today! Look beautiful.

  19. katie in WA, USA says:

    sarah: i may be super dense but i can’t imagine your whole kitchen in one shot. we’ve seen angled views. but i want to see your WHOLE workspace! call me crazy. i want to go to ikea & make my whole kitchen just like your’s. i’ve got a clean slate right now…i am moving…starting toDAY and there will be updating and ripping out of things…. if i can show dear hubby pics of functional kitchens, he is much more likely to agree than just my hairbrained ideas! (nice, i know) and affordable is key. anyway, ……big fan, as ever, as always. i also have to soon pick out flooring. i know your’s is real. i’m trying to make my 79-80s tri-level into my own little beach cottage…hubby thinks if it doesn’t look like a cottage on the outside, you can’t really turn it into one on the inside. I DISAGREE! (he’s open, tho! cuz of beautiful photos like he sees on your beach cottage!!) anyhoo….what say you (opinion-wise) dark or light flooring in an all white house of mine? love love love you sarah! great work, great recipe, etc.

  20. Kim says:

    sarah that would be what we over here call wax paper right??

  21. Tricia Rose says:

    Your wrappers make ordinary cupcake papers look downright poncey!

    this recipe sounds almost like a scoffin – halfway between a scone and a muffin and onomatopoeic too~

  22. Robynne says:

    Beautiful shots…am working on my food styling…it’s more fun than cooking…but will definately give the recipe a go!
    Robx

  23. Bonnie says:

    Can I prove my ignorance right here & now by asking what you mean by “baking high for 15 minutes”? Is that a certain setting of degree on your oven or do you mean put the rack up higher in the oven? I can honestly say, in all the recipes I’ve ever read, I’ve never seen that before. I don’t want to burn the recipe right off the get-go… :)

    • sarah says:

      sorry Bonnie, I mean high as in a ‘hot’ oven…very slapdash of me

      I baked these at 200C but my oven runs cool I believe

  24. Deanne says:

    Hi Sarah,
    Thanks for the recipe- is the butter melted or just soft?

    • sarah says:

      the butter is melted…but I have used soft too when I had just left it out on the side in the summer..worked fine :-)

  25. mmm….I can nearly taste them!! Love your creative photos.

  26. Ooooo Sarah, they look soooooo good and the rustic muffin wraps are so adorable. Thank-you for sharing your recipe cannot wait to try it!!

  27. susan says:

    your photos are beautiful! next time i bake i’ll have to give the food stylist a try! enjoy the day! susan

  28. Carol says:

    These look awesome.
    I noticed you have 1/2 cup of butter listed twice. Is it meant to be ? Also what temperature is high? My oven temps are listed in degrees celcius.

  29. Jo Nelson says:

    Sarah – I will try these muffins. Yes, I agree with everyone else, your photos are fantastic – as always – and the papers are wonderful. i do have a question about the clay tags. I bought your directions, I ordered and received my punch stamps and I just got my clay today. Is the clay toxic? The only rolling pin i have right now is the one I use for baking and I’m so anxious to try making my tags. I have looked and the cheapest pin I found was $21 and i’m not paying that. My daughter said check an art store but I”m going to look in my local grocery tomorrow. They might have them. I can’t wait to make mine. Thanks and have a great day!

    • sarah says:

      Jo, I don’t know, I wouldn’t recommend it if you are going to use it for food too….dollar stores have them for a low price

      also you could try rolling out the clay with a glass or a soda bottle…you don’t need to do too much ‘rolling’

      hope that helps

  30. The muffins look really great, I want to try making it someday, as I am not much of a baker it’s comforting to know that it’s easier than opening a box of cake mix!

  31. mydesignchic says:

    They are so beautiful, that I can almost smell their delicious scent…thanks for sharing!!

  32. Emma Burgess says:

    Yum! Mouth is watering as I type…and Donna Hay should hire you! Emma.

  33. melissa says:

    As always, I love everything about this post-just a feel good, keepin’ life simple-kinda post. I think my favorite has to be that someone actually used the word “onomatopoeic” as part of their comment. Love this blog! :)

  34. Lori-Anne says:

    Beautiful pics! If the muffins are even half as good… well, I might not want to share!!

  35. Roberta 29/2 says:

    Hello, I discovered your blog today and I love it! The atmosphere is very relaxing. And the muffins seems so good! I’ll try this recipe very soon. Thank you, Roberta from Rome.

  36. Nicola says:

    Morning Sarah,

    Loving this post on your baking adventure! Don’t you just love those “got to” recipes – pretty sure we all have one or two that we can always rely on!

    Will have to try these ones this week – have you frozen any? I have a heap of family arriving this week for a bit of a celebration here and would love to have a few of these in the freezer to feed the hoards!

    Thanks for sharing – I see what you meant abou the look of those muffin liners, they certainly came up a real treat!

    • sarah says:

      yes I have actually Nicola, I should add that to the recipe…these babies freeze like a dream!

      …my daughter who trains a lot often takes them out early straight from freezer to microwave and they come out just right

      cheers

      sarahx

  37. Donna says:

    I made them this morning as a treat for my son who has his first Uni exam for the semester today. I used strawberries that I bought at the Farmers’ Markets yesterday. Blueberries are SO expensive here! Also I only used one teaspoon of baking powder with SR flour and they were fine. I think three tspns would have been too much for my aging digestive powers! AND I am sorry but I wasn’t going to spend the time cutting up paper when I had ‘poncey’ muffin cases in the cupboard! lol
    The photos you took were great. I considered taking some of the process as well to send to you but figured the mess in my kitchen would make you faint!
    Thanks for the recipe…son ate three before he left!
    Take care,
    Donna from (overcast AGAIN!) Brissie

  38. Those blueberries look amazing, and beautiful photo’s!
    Sx

  39. angie says:

    Love those homemade papers !!! Look much easier to eat from, like their own little personal bowl, better than the pleated ones we get here. Only one question…..rind from a lemon? Do you mean the yellow zest? I thought the rind was supposed to be bitter?

  40. D@nielle says:

    These look delish, really want to try these this weekm thanks ! But what temp do I bake them ?

  41. D@nielle says:

    oops just found it, i had to refresh the page to see all the additional comments/questions

  42. april says:

    oh no. i just made these and re-read the recipe. i forgot the butter. afraid they aren’t going to be good. haven’t gotten them out of the oven yet…

  43. Fleur says:

    Hey Sarah
    Made these yesterday, but had no lemon rind, substituted the Blueberries for Cherries and forgot the butter (because, well Im a bit stoopid!) But hey they still taste amazing. Will def be making them again xx
    Fleur

    • Nicole Beltane says:

      These have become a family favorite
      i have tried so many variations to them and each time they are delicious

      bacon/cheese
      glace cherries for christmas
      fruit soaked in sherry which was left over from the christmas cake, but i forgot to put the sugar in (turns out everyone liked these better than any others).
      raspberries

      just about know the recipe by heart now, and they are a regular sunday morning breakfast
      DD9 loves them in her lunchbox for school.

      • sarah says:

        wow, I would like to try the bacon cheese idea!

        • Nicole Beltane says:

          we really enjoyed the savory ones.
          always trying to come up with new ones.

          i write the recipe in my recipe journal and there is now so many side notes on it with the different ones i have made, that i may have to re-write it all out again.

          but have a copy on the ipad now as well so its nice and handy when im cooking.

  44. Susan says:

    Those muffins look yummy – I might have to try your recipe myself – I’m not a big fresh blueberries fan, but I don’t mind them in muffins; now raspberries, that’s a whole ‘nuther story!

  45. Nicky Singh says:

    Hi Sarah,

    Your blueberry muffins look fantastic, I can hardly wait to give them ago. I usually use packet mixes myself, however you made the whole process look simple.

    • sarah says:

      no no no, you will never use a packet mix again Nicky…this is soooooo much cheaper and just as easy!

      let me know who ya go xo

  46. Betsy C says:

    I stumbled upon this recipe from your menu plan. Wow. The dense batter gives these a nice “crust” on the top without the use of additional sugar. Perfectly sweetened and just screaming to try with additional fruits. Definitely the best muffin recipe I’ve tried! I baked mine at 190 for 17 minutes and they were perfectly baked and nicely browned. Thanks! x

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