Baking tips

How to get a perfect and moist muffin :

1. Muffin batter is made using the "muffin method" and baked 'quickly', usually in 20-25 minutes.

2. Not to overmix the batter.  However, there is a tendency to over mix because the ratio of liquid to flour is quite high.  But mixing too much overdevelops the gluten in the flour which will cause a tough muffin with tunnels and a compact texture.  

3. Only 10 to 15 strokes are needed to moisten the  ingredients.

4. The higher sugar and fat content producing a richer cake-like muffin with a softer crumb and also increased fat content minimizes the development of gluten which again helps to produce a muffin with a softer crumb.

5. If using a dark colored pan, reduce the oven temperature, stated in the recipe, by 10 c, this because dark colored pans absorbs more of heat and transmit heat faster than light colored pans.

6. The advantage of paper liners is not only does it make clean-up easier but they also help to keep the muffins moist and help prevent them from drying out. 

7. If  like muffins to have a crust, do not use paper liners.  Instead, spray the muffin pan with a non stick vegetable spray.

8. Muffin should be baked in the center of preheated oven, or its become burning on top but not cooked through

9. Fill each cup 1/2 or 2/3 full, handle the batter as little as possible as too much handling will cause a tough muffin. If u over filling the cup, the muffin will ended with uneven shape.

10. fill any unused cups halfway with water to prevent over browning of the muffins

11. Turn the pan halfway during baking for even browning.  do not over bake muffins or they will be dry.  When done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly (5-10 minutes) before removing from pan.

12. If muffins have tunnel and are dry, its mean batter was over mix, over bake or temperature too high, or too much flour or too little liquid.

13. Muffin won't rise sufficiently if the oven temperature too low or batter over mix/ incorrect amount of leavened.

Muffin pan :

1.  Mini muffin pans usually have : 12 or 24 cup shaped depressions. 

~ diameter each cup : 5cm

~ deep : 1.25 cm

~ holds : 2 tbs of batter.

2. Regular size muffin pans have : 6 or 12 cup shaped depressions 

~ diameter each cup :  7.5 cm

~ holds : 1/2 cup or 125ml of batter

3. Jumbo muffin pans have : 6 cup shaped depressions

~ diameter each cup : 10 cm

~ deep : 5 cm

~  holds : 1 cup of batter

4. Regular size muffin pans (another muffin pan) have : 6 or 12 cup shaped depressions

~ holds : 1/3 cup or 80 ml of batter

5. Texas muffin pans (large) have: 2 or 4 cup shaped depressions

~ holds : 3/4 cup or 180 ml of batter

source: summary of joyofbaking and taste.au website