Have you ever asked yourself “what makes a muffin a muffin”? And, if it is a muffin, what exactly is a bakery-style muffin”? Maybe it’s just me.
According to aggregated AI results via a google search, a muffin is an individualized-size quick bread that rises with leaveners, such as baking soda or baking powder, instead of yeast. They typically have a denser texture than cupcakes. Bakery-style muffin typically refers to a muffin that has a tender texture, moist crumb, high rise and browned, slightly crunchy crust.
This recipe began with a craving for a muffin similar to those you get at a good bakery. A search on “bakery-style muffins” returned a bunch of recipes that I dissected by ingredients and by finding commonalities in their descriptions: a bakery-style muffin typically refers to a muffin that has a tender texture, moist crumb, high rise and browned, slightly crunchy crust. After reviews and synthesizing similarities and differences in several recipes, I ended up with something giving me all the things promised from a good bakery-style muffin (with blueberries).
Although I have tried many add-ins, such as blackberries, strawberries, candied orange and chocolate chips, I think the blueberries work best for a few reasons.
The batter is sticky, heavy and requires a little too much force in the folding process for more delicate fruits to hold up. Blueberries also add just the right amount of moisture at the right time when they burst from the heat and contribute to the rise, rather than weigh it down.
I really love the taste of chocolate chips in there, but they produced a denser cake with less rise than moist fruits. Candied orange soaked in bourbon and water to plump them were delicious, but they’re also heavier than blueberries – you get the gist.
I recommend starting with blueberries and branch out from there.
