I’m running low on motivation, inspiration and canned goods at the moment. I did, however, find myself with sour cream and desiccated coconut. I made 3 rounds of bakes to develop this recipe so if anyone in the Paisley area would like one of these, I have 35 left.

This muffin recipe freezes well; perfect if you’re in lockdown solo or with your partner and don’t want a full batch of muffins to eat. I also don’t believe you.

Ingredients 

  • 115g vegetable oil
  • 170g golden caster sugar (regular caster sugar is fine)
  • 2 eggs 
  • 2 tsp vanilla 
  • 240g flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 300ml Sour Cream

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 180 degrees C. Prep a 12 muffin tin, or 2 x 6 muffin tins 
  2. In a dry saucepan, toast the desiccated coconut. It takes a while to see any colour and it burns really easily, so watch it!
  3. In a large mixing bowl, cream oil and sugar together for 4 minutes. This will not get that light creamy texture that you get when you cream with butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla for a further 3 minutes.
  4. Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix just until just combined. Fold in sour cream. Steaks of flour and sour cream is fine. Over mixed muffins don’t rise.
  5. Fold in cooled toasted coconut.
  6. Distribute the batter among the muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full.   
  7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the centre of toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.  Cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from muffin pan. 

Ingredients for caramel butter and

  • 100g castor sugar
  • 115g milk
  • Good quality salt
  • 54 grams cold butter
  • 54g butter
  • 100g large shredded coconut (you can sub in normal fine desiccated coconut to make it a caramel coconut drizzle, instead of the large pieces)
  1. Sprinkle enough sugar over a pan to cover the base and heat gently. As this sugar beings to melt, sprinkle more sugar. Repeat this until all sugar is dissolved, swirling the pan if sugar is melting unevenly. 
  2. Gently heat the sugar until it reaches a deep brown colour. 
  3. While still on the heat, add the milk to the pan. It will begin to bubble violently. 
  4. Continue to stir with a whisk, there may be some caramel that hardens, but this will melt. 
  5. Stir in the salt and gradually add the cold butter. 
  6. Whisk the softened butter until pale and glossy.
  7. Reserve half the caramel and tip into the whipped butter. transfer the caramel butter into the fridge to help it set.
  8. Place large shredded coconut into a dry saucepan and toast lightly.
  9. Tip toasted coconut into reserved caramel and toss to coat.

I don’t put much stock in a piping bag, so I use a small spatula to swosh the caramel butter over the top of the cooled muffins and spoon over the caramel-coated coconut flakes.