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Saturday, January 14, 2012

Sweet Treats Saturday: Zucchini Muffins

In an effort to eat more vegetables - not a New Year's resolution, just something the hubby and I have been working on for the last few months - I'm trying out new recipes that incorporate them.  This eventually had to include dessert.  Eat Cake for Dinner boasted that these zucchini muffins were 'the best ever.'  So, I had to try them.



Our grocery store still has plenty of zucchini in stock.  I don't know if this is completely unseasonal of them, but I'm taking advantage of it while I can.  It's one of the few vegetables that the hubby doesn't gripe about eating.  I made the recipe in full, but you can definitely half it, and try other combos (jumbo muffins, etc).  Just be mindful of the baking time so that you don't overcook them.


The recipe was delicious and I put half of the muffins in the freezer so that I can thaw them out for breakfast to go along with a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, or even dessert if I just want something a little sweet.  Oh, and I plugged them into my Weight Watchers recipe builder and they're actually not too high in points, so that's a bonus!

Zucchini Muffins
Recipe from Eat Cake for Dinner
Makes approx. 18 regular sized muffins

Ingredients:
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c. butter, melted (plus 1 Tbl. for later)
2 tsp. vanilla
zest from 1-2 lemons
3 c. grated un-peeled zucchini (this was two medium sized zucchini's for me)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk together, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.  In a separate bowl, beat together sugar and eggs until creamy.  Add the 2/3 cup melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest and mix well.  Add the shredded zucchini and mix to combine.  Last, add the dry ingredients and mix just until blended.  Batter will be very thick.  


3. So, Eat Cake for Dinner instructs you to melt one tablespoon butter and using a pastry brush, brush all over the muffin cups.  In order to be (just slightly) healthier, I just went with cooking spray.  Then, distribute batter evenly between greased muffin cups, filling completely full. 


4. Bake for 20-23 minutes for regular muffins or 30-32 minutes for jumbo muffins.  Muffins will be browned at the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.    

2 comments:

  1. Sounds delicious! I once made a zucchini lemon drizzle cake and was amazed at how lovely and moist (and completely un-vegetably) it was. I'm also trying to bake healthily, which seems to be hit and miss I find. Sometimes it works out wonderfully, other times it ends up tasting like bird food...

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  2. I've never tried it in muffin form but I love zucchini bread! I get zucchini and shred it and put it in the freezer and then take it out and use it whenever I want it.

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