FoodBanter.com - Muffin & Cake Formula?

(rbisson) wrote in message om>...
> I have been looking for information on creating my own recipes for
> muffins. I am looking for flour, sugar, egg, fat type of ratios. Also,
> how do muffin recipes differ from cake recipes?
>
> I love this newsgroup... it is very interesting.
>
> Thanks
>
> Robert

A typical example of ingredient range will be like this for a wheat
flour based :
Flour( pastry or cake flour)* 100%
Shortening 35-50%
Sugar 40-70%
Milk solids 5-10%
Eggs 30-50%
Water 50-80%
Baking powder 4-6.5%
If you want to add fruits in large amounts such as blueberries etc
consider that as moisture containing ingredient and you will have to
slightly reduce your water to compensate for that.
If you want to add chocolate flavor you can incorporate melted
chocolate while slightly reducing the fat to compensate for the cocoa
butter in chocolate liquor.
Or if you use cocoa powder replace part of the flour with 7-15% cocoa
solids.
A muffin is leaner if compared to a cake recipe but if you add more
enriching ingredients such as eggs and fat you are approaching the
lean cake category as well.
*Note some bakers combine 25% bread or all purpose flour with 75% cake
or pastry flour when making muffin so that it will peak up during
baking.
A weak flour is conducive to a flattish appearing muffin.
In other way the flour proportion is reverse there is a direct use of
all purpose flour or replace a quarter of the APF with pastry or cake
flour.
If you use wholewheat flour blend it with pastry flour or cake flour
to reduce the gluten content and prevent muffin toughness.
If you use a stronger flour blend do not overmix the batter once the
flour is incorporated in.
The consistency of the batter will be the determining factor about the
appropriate total liquid added( eggs and water).
Normally a muffin batter
It should be a thick that you can hold in your hand and drop it
directly to the muffin pan by hand but should be softer than a cookie
dough.
For somewhat moist muffin you can replace the solid shortening with
salad oil.
Others add the oil on top of the shortening.You can also add some
amounts of invert syrup or honey to it to improve moisture retention.
It will be your trial bake test that will be the deciding factor
regarding the quality of your product.
Therefore...
Formulate,test bake and evaluate,then decide which is the best recipe
for you...
Roy