Maple Granola cupcake

© Cookaroo

I love maple syrup. But you know that already. I try and use it everywhere - in baked goods, in ice creams, as a topping, as a drink. I mean you have to see it to believe it when I tell you I've run through nearly two litres over the last couple of months.

The thing with good maple syrup is that it shouldn't be cloyingly sweet (a phrase, apparently, my father hates). It should have that mellow woody flavour and shouldn't stick to the back of your throat. If what I am saying doesn't sound familiar then you've really not tasted good quality maple syrup. When you cook with the flavour that comes through is almost smokey, something that you can never get with other sweetners like honey or even jaggery. Maybe that's why I've make so many things with maple syrup

I began this year by making some delicious granola and so far I've given away some three jar full of it. I'll come to that later because first I really want to share a memory. Of yummy maple syrup. Although I think I used to call it just Aunt Jemima's because for some reason we'd only get that brand at home.

© Cookaroo

I remember drenching my french toast that had been patted with butter with maple syrup and when it wasn't enough I remember taking a small bowl and dunking pieces of toast into it, so that each bite would get a lovely syrupy taste.

As I grew older, i started experimenting my making a bread pudding which I'd soak in a mixture of eggs, milk and maple syrup and then bake, the result was yummy and always something that took away my carb and sweet-thing-wanting craving (you can tell why!).

But it's only been lately that I have become so much more active about using maple syrup as a secondary food form. For example I made this Spiced pear cake, said goodbye to the summer with Maple ginger gelato and drenched maple cream over my apple pie in the fall, so really I'm quite all seasons about this divine liquid. So I suppose there's really no need to be surprised when I decided to make something cosy and warm for the winter.

© Cookaroo

The idea behind these muffins came when I was going through a book I got for my birthday from Deeba. Extraordinary pictures and really yummy recipes made me want to bake as soon as I flipped through those pages. Called Cupcakes, this book was something my extensive cookbook library lacked - I had one cupcake book and nothing I ever made from it came out ok. But this book seemed like the real deal. The Rose cupcakes looked to-die-for, the lemon amazing and even the same plain jane vanillas looked fluffy and light.

But the recipe that caught my eye was of the Honey and Granola Cupcakes. Cakes that you could eat for breakfast and what's more they were marked New years. I kept looking at the recipe. I wanted to make it and eat it and I had half a jar of granola left from a week ago. The timing seemed just perfect. I made a few changes ofcourse. I didn't use honey for one, and substituted it with maple syrup instead. I also went half and half on the flour - half whole wheat and half all purpose. Other than that I stayed true to the recipe.

I got 15 cupcakes out of it. But I feel I should have reall gotten only 12. I could have filled up my cases a lot more. But whatever said, I was glad I got that many. I sent some off as a present. Gave my mom some and then kept some for the greedy person that is I.

I ate them with a pat of butter, but the book suggested I could also make some lemon cream cheese and slather on top. But I was fine, because just plain, they were divine.

© Cookaroo

Maple Granola Cupcake

Adapted from Cupcakes by Primrose bakery. Available in India, US and UK

Ingredients
110g  butter
120g light brown sugar
175g maple syrup
2 large eggs
100 grams whole wheat
120 grams all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
65ml semi-skimmed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
65ml low-fat yogurt
250g granola

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180c

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and maple syrup together until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each one.

3. Combine the flours, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder  into a separate bowl. In a jug combine the milk, vanilla extract and yogurt. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter, sugar and honey mixture. 4.Then pour one-third of the milk combo in. Beat each time. Repeat until it has all been added. Now fold in the granola.

5. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases. About two-thirds full. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Also sending this to Calendar Cakes which is being hosted by Laura Loves Cakes and Dolly bakes

© Cookaroo