Irish Soda Bread Muffins

Irish Soda Bread Muffins Recipe

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups currants, raisins or other chopped dried fruit
• 1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, to taste (optional)
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted; or 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• sparkling white sugar, for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease the cups of a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and then grease the papers.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds (if using).
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk  and melted butter. Quickly and gently stir together  the dry and wet ingredients, just until combined. (Stirring more will cause the muffins to be tough.)
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full. The stiff batter will look mounded in the cups. Top with sparkling white sugar, if desired.
5. Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven. Tip the muffins in the pan, so their bottoms don’t get soggy. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Serve these muffins plain or with butter and/or your favorite jam.