Monday, January 25, 2010

Queen Cakes-Gourmet, April 1972



These small muffins come from a James Beard article on tea-time treats. He suggests baking them as mini-muffins, which will yield 24. I did a dozen larger ones. You'll need to test for doneness more often for the large ones.

I also improvised and added cut-up maraschino cherries rather than glaceed fruit. After the holidays, we've had all the glaceed fruit we can stand. These will be individually wrapped, and frozen for breakfasts and (duh) tea. At our home tea is called "This and That", due to the nature of what I drag out of the pantry. As Danny selected this recipe, he's looking forward to his 4 PM This and That.

These are somewhat drier than what passes for muffins today, but nowhere near the dryness of say, white cupcakes. The method is a bit strange, but it does actually work. Adapt as you see fit.

You Will Need:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar (I used vanilla sugar)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins dredged in a bit of flour
2 tablespoons glaceed fruit
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/3 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line muffin tins (either 24 mini or 12 regular) with paper cups.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla extract. Add fruit and milk. Gently mix. Fold in dry ingredients. Fill cups and bake about 20 minutes for small cakes, 35 minutes for large ones, checking for doneness with a toothpick. Cool out of pan, on rack.

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