Vanilla Jam Donut Muffins

This week I am baking from Anna Olson's cookbook Sugar. I love this cookbook and it has been part of my collection for several years now.

I have tested many recipes from this cookbook all with great success. The book is divided into sections based on ingredients which is unique because most publishers prefer to break up segments based on type of dessert (cakes, cookies, bars, etc). Anna has an entire section dedicated to vanilla and that is where I ventured today.

To start off my baking extravaganza for the week I decided to try out Anna's recipe for Vanilla Jam Muffins which in essence are donut muffins filled with a dollop of your preferred jam.

The key to success with this recipe is to choose a thick jam. Do not go with runny or you will have a "puddly" mess instead of a fluffy, sweet, jam filled breakfast treat.

This recipe makes a lot of batter. Though it states it makes 12 muffins it made 18 for me and I had the liners filled to the top. They don't overflow and make a mess either. They puff up nicely and result in perfect muffins tops.

The crowing glory is the topping. After they are baked you simply dip the tops in melted butter then in a sugar/cinnamon blend. This step really is important as it creates that donut flavor we all love.

I did alter her recipe as I went along. I wanted to use my new vanilla bean paste so went that route (along with pure extract) versus steeping beans in warm milk. I also found that the recipe called for a large quantity of nutmeg: 1 teaspoon. I added 1/2 teaspoon instead. I find nutmeg is a wonderful addition but be careful with the amount. Too much can overpower all the other flavors.

I also filled a few with Nutella instead of jam for my daughter who loves Nutella. They turned out very well too and she was one happy kid. Happy Kid = Happy Mommy!

So let's get started!

It's muffin time !

RECIPE:
*source recipe, Vanilla Jam Muffins, Sugar by Anna Olson

WHAT YOU NEED

MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (optional)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cups vegetable oil (neutral flavor)
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup jam (thick variety)

TOPPING

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 12 muffin cups with paper liners

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together first 6 ingredients
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together remaining muffin ingredients except jam
FOLD wet ingredients into dry ingredients blending just til combined. Do not overmix!

FILL muffin cups 2/3 full with batter
SPOON tablespoon jam on top of each muffin
TOP with muffin batter filling to top of paper liners

BAKE 35-40 minutes (do not over bake or bottoms will be dry). Mine were perfect at 35 minutes
LET cool in pan 5 minutes
TRANSFER to cooling rack

PREPARE two bowls for toppings: one with melted butter, one with combined sugar and cinnamon
DIP warm muffin tops in melted butter then in sugar/cinnamon mix

DIG IN !

Also seen here:

Victoria Sponge with Berries & Whipped Cream

Last week I celebrated my big 4-0 birthday! And in doing so, I also learned that I have somehow converted into a foodie (baker) snob to a great degree over the past year. When asked about my preferred birthday dessert I had to say nothing store bought. It must be homemade! Nothing else will suffice. No family member wanted to take on the baking challenge so I gladly stepped in.

I wasn't in the mood for your typical birthday cake topped with buttercream and candles. Instead I was craving fluffy whipped cream and fresh fruit layered throughout a light, golden cake. The perfect answer: a Victoria Sponge filled with seedless jam, raspberries, sweetened whipped cream and topped with shaved dark chocolate.

I have a recipe already on Lemon Drop for Victoria Sponge though that one has a frosting in the center. I did stick to the sponge cake recipe in that post but , as you can see, dramatically changed the filling and finishing touches. It was the best birthday cake I have ever eaten!

LET'S GET STARTED

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

1 cup fine white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons of milk (2% works fine)

JAM, FRUIT and WHIPPED CREAM FILLING:

6-12 oz. good quality, seedless raspberry jam (I used half a 12 oz jar but feel free to slather the whole thing on there if you want !!)
1 pint of fresh raspberries
2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fine granulated sugar
1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F.
BUTTER two 8-inch round cake pans
LINE both pans with parchment paper

MIX all cake ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Batter should be smooth.
DIVIDE batter between the two pans and smooth the surface with a spatula.

BAKE for 20 minutes; do the finger test - touch the center and if it springs back it is done. If not give it another minute or two and try again.

COOL cakes on baking racks.
REMOVE cakes from pans once cooled.

PLACE one of the cooled cakes on a cake platter
SPREAD with jam
LAYER 3/4 of the raspberries over the jam, reserving rest of raspberries for topping

MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM
In large bowl, and with your electric mixer, whip together 2 cups of whipping cream (35% fat) with 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of fine granulated sugar. If you want to keep the cake longer than 1 hr at room temperature then add one small packet of Whip It! stabilizer to the cream mix. Whip until soft peaks form.

DIVIDE the whipped cream topping in 1/2 and smooth one 1/2 over the first layer of cake
PLACE second layer of cake on top
SMOOTH remaining whipped cream topping over top of cake
DECORATE with remaining raspberries and shaved chocolate.

ENJOY !!!

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