GINGERBREAD SPICE MUFFINS WITH CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

I devised this recipe for moist and delicious whole wheat muffins for my second cookbook, "The (Almost) No Fat Holiday Cookbook", but it didn't make the cut. It is, however, well worth making and is one of my husband's favorite treats. We like them simply served warm with a little vegan butter, but they can also be served as small individual "puddings"-- a quick and easy dessert topped with a sweet lemon sauce (see recipe below).

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S GINGERBREAD SPICE MUFFINS WITH CRYSTALLIZED GINGER (WITH AN EASY DESSERT OPTION)

Makes 10-12 (Depending on how large you like them)

For a fat-free recipe, omit the oil and use 8 oz. of tofu. They will still be nice and moist, but may dry out more quickly.

Liquid Ingredients:

6 oz. medium-firm tofu OR firm to extra-firm silken tofu, drained well

1/2 cup molasses (I use "fancy molasses", but you can use a dark type, if you prefer.)

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup oil

6 T. water

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

6 T. oat flour (you can grind oatmeal in a DRY blender until fine)

1 T. ground ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Addition:

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped small

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the liquid ingredients together in a blender or with an immersion/stick blender until smooth.

Whisk the dry ingredients together well in a medium bowl. Pour in the liquid ingredients and mix briefly. Add the crystallized ginger and mix briefly just to distribute evenly. Spoon the batter into muffin cups that have been greased with cake release (see my homemade version) or lined with muffin cup liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes (check the center of one with a toothpick after 20 minutes). Cool the pan on a rack for 5 minutes before loosening the edges of the muffins carefully with a thin knife and turning them on their sides in the muffin cups to cool.

Bryanna's Lemon Pudding Sauce-- to serve on the warm muffins as a dessert option

1 cup water

1/2 cup light unbleached organic sugar

1 T. cornstarch

juice of half a lemon

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Heat the water, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan and stir over high heat until it thickens. Boil for 1 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.

Enjoy!