These vegan pineapple muscovado muffins won’t change the season, but their warm Caribbean flavours might compensate just a little bit for the return of the dark evenings and frosty mornings.
They are very easy to make and full of pineapple, and their springy texture contrasts well with the crispy muscovado allspice crust.
Pineapple has star billing, making up a third of the ingredients by weight. The naturally high level of acid in the pineapple reacts with the baking soda, making these rise brilliantly without leaving behind any bicarb taste.
Allspice is one of the spices highest in antioxidant properties – even a small amount brings health benefits.
It also brings a wonderful aroma. The scent of these muffins baking is like sweet spicy firewood. If someone could recreate it in a candle I would have one on the go all through the winter months.
As well as using muscovado, which is one of the few sugars with nutritional value, these are quite low in oil, and a mix of wholemeal and white flour boosts the fibre content without making the muffins heavy.
This recipe makes twelve good-sized muffins, like those pictured. The crust will soften a bit if these survive into day two or three as the sugar absorbs moisture from the air – but the muffins will still taste just as good!
Vegan Pineapple Muscovado Muffins…
Ingredients
- 380 g (drained) tinned pineapple chunks or slices
- 180 g muscovado/unrefined dark brown sugar
- 90 ml light olive oil
- zest of a large unwaxed lemon
- 275 g white self-raising flour
- 100 g plain wholemeal flour
- 1 level tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 3 tsp ground allspice
- 100 ml soya or other non-dairy milk
for the muscovado crust
- 3 tbsp muscovado/unrefined dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp plain or self-raising flour
- 1 tsp allspice
Method
- Set the oven to 200°C/390°F and line a 12-muffin tin with paper cases.
- Puree 200g of the pineapple in a blender. Chop the remaining 180g into small chunks, around 1cm across, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the pureed pineapple with the oil and muscovado sugar and stir in the lemon zest.
- Prepare the muscovado crust by rubbing the flour and spice into the sugar. Set aside.
- Separately, mix and sift the flours, baking soda and spice before adding to the liquid mixture and folding until just combined.
- Gently stir in the pineapple chunks and the milk until just combined. The mixture should be a bit thinner than dropping consistency. Add another spoonful of flour or milk if it looks too thin or too thick.
- Using two dessert spoons, transfer the mixture to the paper cases. Level the tops only enough to ensure that the sugar topping doesn’t all tumble off!
- Sprinkle a good amount of the muscovado crust mixture over each muffin.
- Bake for twenty minutes. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.
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