What better thing to do when in lockdown than use up some of the cupboard ingredients. Plus, baking and measuring counts as learning, right?!
We have loads of small pears indoors that have been sitting about for a while. I wasn't sure exactly what was left in our baking cupboard but, when I got it all down, I realised we had plenty of flour, different sugars and a few Christmassy spices left.
I'm not gonna lie, I'm not the best baker - my cakes are usually pretty ropey. I am good at icing them but they never seem to rise the way I'd like them to.
Anyway, these were a pleasant surprise so I decided to share the recipe - it was easy enough for the kids to help out with to:
You will need:
250g plain flour
80g sugar (I used golden caster sugar)
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1.5 teaspoons of cinammon
1 teaspoon ginger
A dash of vanilla extract
1 egg
150 ml of milk
90 ml of vegetable oil
4 small pears peeled and chopped into pieces
A baking tray
12 muffin cases
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and put your muffin cases in a baking tray.
2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and spices to a bowl and mix together.
3. Beat the egg in a cup.
4. After peeling and cutting the pears add some vanilla extract.
5. Add the milk and the oil to the beaten egg and the pears and mix.
6. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until creamy and gloopy.
7. Spoon the mixture equally between the cases.
8. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden colour and springy to touch.
9. Allow the muffins to cool down and ice them if you wish.
The pear steams inside the mixture so these come out really juicy and the spices really give it a lovely warming taste too.
