Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2024)

Orange and Cardamom Muffins ~ delicately fragrant muffins flavored with bright orange zest and warm, spicy cardamom, this easy muffin recipe is unique and delicious!

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (1)

For a quick, easy, comforting breakfast, nothing beats my homemade orange and cardamom muffin recipe!

Is anybody making muffins anymore? It seems like they’ve totally gone out of fashion, right? But every time I make a batch I’m reminded of why I love them. These orange and cardamom muffins bake up so nice and tall, with a sugary crust on top, how could you resist? I don’t know why I thought of combining citrus with cardamom, I don’t think I’ve done it on the blog before, but boy, it’s so perfect. Neither taste is overpowering but they blend beautifully. The aroma is especially great when they’re just out of the oven, Definitely going to use this combo again!

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2)

You know I love my one bowl no-mixer recipes

They make baking from scratch so much more do-able. There’s less mess, and less lag time between the inspiration to bake and your first bite. Just grab your bowl and a whisk and you’re off to the races.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (3)

A plain muffin needs a little something something on the top, right?

I used my favorite Sparkling Sugar to add a little glitz and a sweet crunch. Less homey, more coffee shop. You could use regular sugar if that’s all you’ve got, but sparkling sugar has a bigger crystal and a great texture. I recommend picking some up from Amazon.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (4)

Muffins are nice to have around because they’re already pre-portioned and they keep well. Pop day old muffins in the micro for 20 seconds to revive that amazing aroma. They’re special enough for office potluck parties, especially in winter when a cozy muffin is everything.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (5)

One of the saving graces of deep winter is all the juicy citrus that comes into season.

It’s surprising how many different ways you can incorporate citrus into baking. In this recipe I use the juice and zest of the orange, but it’s the zest that really brings the orange flavor home. The outer orange colored part of the peel, or the zest, contains the flavor and aroma oils, which provide the true essence of the fruit flavor. The more you use, the more flavor payoff you’ll get.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (6)

How to zest an orange

  • The zest of citrus fruit is the very outer part of the peel…the part that is colored.
  • When you zest citrus fruit you are looking to remove just that outer colored part, with as little as possible of the white part underneath, which is bitter.
  • I highly recommend using a citrus zester, which is a tool specifically created to do the job.
  • Be sure to zest your fruit before cutting or juicing!
  • Zest your fruit as close to adding it to your recipe as possible, because the oils start to dissipate quickly.
Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (7)

More wintery breakfast ideas ~

  • Warm Maple Oat Nut Smoothie
  • Fresh Tangerine Scones
  • Homemade Chicken Apple Sausage
  • Fresh Ginger and Pear Cake

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (8)

Orange and Cardamom Muffins

Orange and Cardamom Muffins ~ delicately fragrant muffins flavored with bright orange zest and warm, spicy cardamom, this easy muffin recipe is unique and delicious!

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Prep Time:10 minutes minutes

Cook Time:20 minutes minutes

Total Time:30 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 muffins

Equipment

  • standard muffin pan

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Topping

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F and butter a muffin tin, or line with muffin tin liners.

  • Whisk together all the wet ingredients well.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add to the wet ingredients and fold everything together until there are no dry bits of flour left.

  • Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins, and top with a sprinkling of the sparkling sugar.

  • Bake for 20-22 minutes until risen and starting to turn golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out without wet batter clinging to it.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: breakfast, cardamom, citrus, muffins, orange, snack

Nutrition

Calories: 270 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 7 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 34 mg · Sodium: 190 mg · Potassium: 151 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 16 g · Vitamin A: 80 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 59 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at @theviewfromgreatisland for a chance to be featured.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (9)
Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist muffins? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

How to make muffins peak? ›

According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat. She says that 400° should do it, no matter what the recipe says. The higher baking temperature means that the the outside edges of the muffin will set while the middle is still liquidy.

What not to do when making muffins? ›

Here are some common mistakes that might be causing this:
  1. Over mixing the batter.
  2. Overfilling the muffin tray.
  3. Leaving the muffins in the pan after they have baked.
  4. Berries, nuts, and chocolate chips sink to the bottom.
Mar 12, 2019

Are muffins better with oil or butter? ›

Structure - although oil makes baked goods very moist and longer lasting than butter, for high rising baked goods that need more structure, like muffins, butter is a better choice. Butter is wonderful for incorporating air into baked goods.

Why are bakery muffins so much better? ›

The best bakery-style crumb muffins start with cake flour

Cake flour is more finely ground and has less protein, which leaves the muffins with a fine, light crumb and soft texture. Using cake flour is an easy way to avoid heavy, dense muffins even if you end up stirring just a bit too much.

Should you let muffin batter rest? ›

Rest the Muffin Batter

The first, most hands-off way to make your muffins pop (literally) is to let the batter rest. Make the batter, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the batter rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. If you're short on time, just 30 minutes can make a difference.

What does too much egg do to muffins? ›

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

What oil is best for moist muffins? ›

Choosing vegetable oil is the best option for baking moist, delicious baked goods. Canola oil, the most common vegetable oil used in baking, doesn't add a strong flavor. It allows your cake's flavor will shine through while still achieving a moist texture.

How do you moisten baked muffins? ›

Brush the muffins with milk while they're still hot, and the milk will soften the crust enough to make the muffins enjoyable again. Cream or half-and-half also will work and make the muffins taste slightly richer.

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