Rhubarb Muffins

I can't remember where I found this recipe, but it is another delicious way of cooking rhubarb - fudgy brown muffins with a delicious cinnamon and sugar top and bright pink rhubarb pieces!    I've been cooking these for a TA weekend, and the first batch came out a bit brown.  Not a problem - simply cut the tops off and ice them with a vanilla icing (6oz/170g softened butter, 12oz/340g sifted icing sugar/1tsp vanilla).... and they become cup cakes.   Versatile, or what?

Rhubarb and Cinnamon Muffins

 Rhubarb Muffins

9oz/250g soft brown sugar

4fl oz/110ml vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

8fl oz/225ml buttermilk or low fat yoghurt

6oz/170g rhubarb, cut into 1cm dice

2oz/50g walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

10oz/280g plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 ½ oz/45g of wheatgerm (not essential)

2dessertsp caster sugar mixed with 1dsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200deg C, 400F and put 12 paper cases into a muffin tin.  In a large bowl, mix the sugar, oil, egg, vanilla extract and buttermilk or yoghurt.  Stir in the rhubarb and nuts.  Sift over the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and add wheatgerm.  Fold together quickly until just blended, but still rather lumpy.  Spoon into the muffin tin, and sprinkle liberally with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

These are delicious as a snack but more important, as a pudding, served warm with maple syrup and Greek yoghurt.