Apple Muffins

1. Preheat your oven to 375 °F. Use bakers’ spray to spray muffin tins or coat well using butter and flour or shortening.

Note: after coating, any excess flour should be discarded from the tin.

2. In a large bowl, sift together baking powder, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Toss diced apples together and then coat apples with 2 tsp of flour in a different bowl.
4. Cream sugar and butter together for 4 minutes, until the color lightens. Gradually add eggs, one at a time, making sure it is fully incorporated before you add the other. Now, mix well in vanilla.
5. Fold in flour mixture gently, and gradually alternate with milk. Stir well until combined thoroughly. Fold in coated diced apples and then scoop the new mixture into clean muffin tins (filling about ¾ or 2/3 to full). Bake for about half an hour or until a skewer or toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
6. While the muffins bake:
   1. Melt butter for a few seconds in the microwave and let cool.
   2. In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and granulated sugar together and keep aside.
7. Once baked, remove muffin pans from the oven and let cool. Once cooled completely, dip a muffin melted butter followed by dipping it into the sugar-cinnamon mixture and transfer to a plate. Repeat the same for all muffins. 

Trivia

The origin of the word “muffin” is uncertain. It was first seen in a 1703 print, but it was spelt as ‘moofin’. It is possible that it is derived from the word ‘Muffen’ in Low German, which means small cake.