Do You Know The Muffin Man?

I Think He Retired... So I Made My Own!

A few weeks ago, I was on The Cookbook Junkies blog and she had made the most delicious looking orange berry muffins. She got the recipe from Dorie (I can't remember her blog name) but I've been there before and enjoyed it.

Anyway, I decided to make a version of that recipe and the low-fat blueberry muffin recipe from America's Test Kitchen that I usually make. Only this time I used 5 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil instead of 4 tablespoons of butter and I added more blueberries. The turned out really good.

Orange Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 cup blueberries*, washed and dried
2 cups plus 1 Tbl. all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites (from large eggs)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbls. canola oil
5 Tbls. virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
Grated zest and juice of 1 small to medium orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Double wrap the blueberries in freezer bags and freeze for at least an hour or overnight, as frozen ones won't all sink in the batter. Don't take them out until the batter is made and oven is preheated.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, run the sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange is strong. Whisk egg whites and brown sugar together until thoroughly combined. Gradually whisk in melted coconut oil and canola oil, then buttermilk, orange juice and vanilla until well blended.

Fold into dry mixture with rubber spatula (a few streaks of flour should remain).
Remove blueberries from freezer and toss with remaining tablespoon flour in small bowl. Gently fold blueberries into batter, being careful not to break berries.
Distribute batter in muffin tin and bake until light golden brown and toothpick or skewer inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.