Muffin Top Pan Blueberry Muffin Recipe
How To Bake With A Muffin Top Pan
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Few things warm the senses better than some freshly-baked muffins fresh out of the oven. That is, unless we are talking MUFFIN TOPS! Those yummy and oh-so-satisfying half-muffins consisting of the superior TOP half of the muffin! Why are these so good? For many people, the top part is the best because that’s where all the delicious browning has taken place.
I don’t know how long these edible delights have been around but I do recall starting to see them several years ago at many of the popular bakeries. Did you know you can make your OWN muffin tops? You can! And you don’t even have to be cutting perfectly good muffins in half. All you need is a muffin top pan, plus the normal ingredients and things you’d use to make regular muffins. I’m using the Wilton Muffin Top non-stick pan, which makes 12 pieces. As you can see, it looks like a normal muffin pan except it is very shallow.
You can use any type of boxed muffin mix, or your own concoction made from scratch if you like. Here I’ve selected Kodiak Cakes Blueberry Muffin Mix and also their Double Dark Chocolate Muffin Mix. These appealed to me because they contain 100% whole grains so I feel good about feeding them to my family.
The mix was super-easy to prepare but I have to clue you in on a secret weapon. I’ve discovered Bak-Klene ZT which is an excellent non-stick spray, better than the more common brands out there. Even though my pan is a non-stick pan, you know how that often goes! You really want your muffin tops to just fall right out so I definitely recommend using this.
Use Bak-Klene ZT For The Best Release!
Another thing you will want to remember is to modify the baking time and/or temperature. Because the muffins are so much shorter, they will likely be overdone if you stick to the package recommendation for baking time and temp. For the first batch I made (which was blueberry) the package recommended 12-15 minutes at 375F. I decided to experiment with just lowering the temperature to 350F. At the lower temp, they actually took a little longer to bake and 20 minutes was just right.
Different mixes might produce different results so it’s probably a good idea to just keep a close eye on them for your first few batches. I also learned that the optimal dome height, with a little over-flow, was achieved by filling the muffin top pan wells almost all the way full.
After determining that 20 minutes was good for the mix I was using, I took the muffins out of the oven and let them cool for the recommended time of 5 minutes. Now, a few years ago I took a cake decorating class and I learned that this cooling time was very important for a clean release from the pan. If the baked goods are too warm, they might easily just fall apart coming out of the pan. And if you let them cool off too much, the oils will start to stick. I always set a timer for baking AND for cooling to ensure best results.
My muffin tops popped right out of the pan, as expected but still much to my delight. They are so delicious with butter or jam, or even plain! My family loved these and they are a great non-messy muffin for my kids to eat with no help from mom or dad. With so many mix varieties, they are wonderfully versatile and even make a great item to bring to pot luck events or holiday meals where everyone is pitching in something. So easy to make, yet a bit unique, these will surely be appreciated by all!
