Vegan Orange Poppyseed Muffins

You want a bite of this.

These are fun muffins that feel like a baking experiment. I'm always intrigued with vegan recipes, and back when I first started making these 5 years ago, quality, simple vegan recipes were just starting to emerge. The first time I made them I followed the cookbook instructions and made a cake...and it would not set. The flavor was delicious so I tried again two more times and got the same results...a runny cake that stayed liquid in the center even after baking 3x longer than instructed. After the third failed attempt I switched these to muffins and victory was achieved ;) 

Took these to a play-date and went home with none ;)

These have held their own through the years and these little muffins have developed quite a following among my taste testers. I like to introduce this recipe in my cooking classes for beginning cooks and young children learning to bake because of the weird use of apple cider vinegar and the healthy inclusion of turbinado sugar. No cracking of eggs, no mixer required and these muffins are mixed, baked, cooled and glazed in under an hour! What surprises me every time is how much KIDS love these muffins. I even bake these for them when they're sick for a sweet dose of vitamin C ;) It's totally worth noting that I'm not a huge fan of citrus desserts but make a happy exception for these muffins!

Slightly adapted from Alice's Teacup cookbook.

Makes 16 muffins

Ingredients

--------------

-2 1/4 cups flour

-1 1/4 cups turbinado sugar

-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

-3/4 teaspoon salt

-1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)

-1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

-1 1/2 cups orange juice (fresh tastes awesome, but refrigerated from concentrate also works)

-1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest

-1/2 cup of melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

-1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Orange Glaze

-----------------

-1 tablespoon orange zest

-1 tablespoon orange juice

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

-1/2 cup of powdered sugar

To make

------------

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees

-Line a cupcake pan with liners or spray cavities with a non-stick cooking spray. 

-In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and chia seeds. 

-In a medium bowl combine the orange juice, zest, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla. If the orange juice is cold and causes the coconut oil to harden microwave the mixture for 30 seconds until the coconut oil is in liquid form again.

-Add the wet (orange juice mixture) ingredients to the dry (flour mixture) ingredients and stir until well blended. 

-Fill the lined cupcake cavities 3/4 full and bake on a middle rack in oven for 13-18 minutes (mine were perfect at 15) or until a few moist crumbs stick to a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin.

-Remove the muffins from oven and allow to cool.

-While the muffins are baking, in a small bowl blend together the orange zest, juice, vanilla and powdered sugar mixture. I use a mini whisk to get a smooth texture. When the muffins have cooled, dip each muffin top into the glaze and hold upside down while the extra glaze drips off back into the bowl. I like to dip each muffin twice for a nice glazed coating.  Allow glaze to harden and serve.

-Enjoy!

Cooled down and ready to be double GLAZED!

I'd love to connect with you! Like SavvyChef on facebook and follow Savvy_Chef on instagram. Tag Savvychef in your creations and pin the recipes on pintrest :)

Please, help yourself :)