Why do I need to squeeze water from the courgette?

Squeezing the grated courgette removes excess moisture. This prevents the muffins from becoming too wet or dense during baking and helps ensure a lighter, tender texture.

How can I tell when the muffins are fully baked?

The best way is to insert a toothpick or thin skewer into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, without wet batter attached, they are done. If it has wet batter, they need more time.

Can I use a different kind of oil instead of olive oil?

Yes, you can substitute another neutral flavoured oil like vegetable oil or canola oil if you prefer. The olive oil adds a subtle flavour here, but others will work for moisture.

How much batter should go into each muffin cup?

Aim to fill each standard muffin cup about two thirds to three quarters full. This usually works out to be around 75 to 85 grams of batter per cup for this recipe, yielding 6 large muffins.

My muffins turned out a bit tough. What happened?

This usually happens if the batter was overmixed after adding the dry ingredients. Gently fold the dry ingredients in just until they are combined to keep the muffins tender.

Can I make smaller muffins with this recipe?

Yes, you can easily make 10 to 12 smaller muffins by using less batter in each cup. You would need to adjust the baking time downwards slightly and check for doneness earlier.

How long do these muffins last at room temperature?

Stored in an airtight container, these muffins will typically stay fresh and moist at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Bright Lemon Zucchini Muffins (Incredibly Moist!)

Description

These Healthy Lemon Courgette Muffins are wonderfully light, incredibly moist, and subtly sweet, making them a perfect pick-me-up snack or a delightful breakfast treat! The addition of olive oil gives them a rich, tender crumb, while fresh lemon zest provides a bright, citrusy burst you will absolutely love!

Ingredients

1 cup (120 grams) plain flour
½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
½ teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) bicarbonate of soda
1 ¾ cups (170 grams) grated courgette (about 1 medium courgette)
⅔ cup (160 grams) light brown sugar
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 large egg

Instructions

Get your oven ready. Preheat it to 170ºC (340ºF). Prepare a muffin tin by greasing it with butter or non-stick spray. Dust the greased cups lightly with a little flour.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Pour in the olive oil, add the light brown sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and the egg. Stir everything together until the mixture is well combined.
Prepare the courgette (zucchini). Use the medium side of a cheese grater to grate the courgette. Over a sink, gently squeeze the excess water out of the grated courgette. Add the squeezed, grated courgette to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until the courgette is fully mixed in.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Pour in the flour, salt, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Gently stir just until everything is combined. Be careful not to mix it too much.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Aim for each cup to hold approximately 75 to 85 grams of batter for uniform muffins.
Place the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Check if the muffins are done by inserting a toothpick into the center of one. If it comes out clean, they are ready. If not, continue baking. Check them every 5 minutes until they are fully baked. This might take up to 25 minutes total.
Once they are baked, remove the muffins from the oven. Let them cool down in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Measuring: For consistent muffin sizes, you can place your muffin tin on a kitchen scale and zero it out after filling each cup. Alternatively, using an ice cream scoop helps ensure each muffin gets a similar amount of batter.

Storage: These delicious muffins can be stored either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The olive oil in the recipe helps keep them wonderfully moist. If you need to store them longer, they freeze well for up to 6 months.

Yield: This recipe makes 6 large muffins. You can also make 10 to 12 medium-sized muffins by adjusting the portion size slightly.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 muffin
Calories: 381
Sugar: 27g
Sodium: 300mg
Fat: 22g
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 27mg