248. eggless orange chocolate chip muffins

Happy birthday tweenies

My twins, Neel and Nami celebrated their birthday yesterday. All my 3 kids are growing up so fast. I remember the parties we use to hold at home and when they were a bit older they wanted parties at a restaurant. Usually we would celebrate their birthdays together, all 3 as the birthdays are  in the same month. Cost saving for me but they probably felt bad sharing the party. Nami and Neel had no choice, they are twins but am sure Niku would have loved a separate party. My tweenies as I call them are poles apart…. one is quiet the other talkative, one is serious, the other very friendly, one is happy with books and play station, the other loves having loads of friends. But what is common in both is that they both are caring, loving and considerate adults and I love them so much. Before Nami left for India, she left a little message for me on my phone, to call her everyday. A few days ago I found a little note from her in my diary stating “bake a cake for Nami’s birthday”. So, yes I did bake yesterday, not a big cake but muffins. Nami, I wanted to add more colour to my photo, but unfortunately couldn’t find anything colourful that’s appropriate for a birthday party. But hey I did try to ice the muffins. As you can see, I iced a few and gave up as I am pretty bad at it. I made some orange chocolate chip muffins. Orange and chocolate is a delightful combination. The muffins turned out tasty and not too sweet. I didn’t try the ones with the icing but my neighbour loved them.

updated: 30/09/2016
I have realised that within a span of just a few years, photography in food blogging has taken on a whole new meaning. I still am not good at it but my reliable iPhone is pretty good. As you will have noticed that the photos I’ve shared today are so different from the first one I had taken. The muffins also look different. But trust me the recipe is still the same, its just that I’ve bake better muffins now. The other reason I will leave the photo is to show you how over mixed batter muffins look. Also its important to fill the cups appropriately. If cups are small and narrow, fill half way. Bigger muffin cups can be filled three quarter of the way.

EGGLESS ORANGE CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Makes 12 to 16

1½ cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp soda bicarbonate (baking soda)
½ tsp salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup dark or milk chocolate chips
1 tbsp grated orange rind or zest
2 tbsp yogurt
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup milk
½ cup orange juice
½ tsp orange essence

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Line a muffin tray or muffin cups with paper cups.
3. Sieve flour, salt, baking powder and soda bicarbonate together into a big bowl.
4. Add the chocolate chips and orange zest to it and mix well.
5. In another bowl, add sugar, yogurt, oil, milk, juice and essence and whisk it together.
6. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix till the flour becomes wet. Don’t over mix.
7. Spoon out the batter into the paper cups, three quarter full.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes till the muffins are light golden on top and done. Insert a fork or a toothpick into the middle of a muffin. If it comes out clean then the muffins are ready.
9. Take the muffins out of the tray or muffin cups and let them cool on a wire rack.
10. Ice them with butter icing or cream cheese icing if you like.

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