The Muffin Top Plague

I was lifted from my baking ban! I had been hoping to try making lemon poppy seed muffins, but instead, I came across these lovely little things from Pinch of Yum... Lemon chia seed muffins. Yes. Yes. So much yes. 

I made a few alterations to the recipe: 1. I blended up full-fat cottage cheese in place of plain Greek yogurt. I read somewhere that it could be done; I promise I didn't think that up on my own; 2. I used all chia seeds because I don't use poppy seeds often enough to buy a big bunch of them; 3. I used 1 cup whole grain flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose, rather than the whole 1 1/2 cups all-purpose. 

I was incredibly excited for these muffins. I was originally going to make them for Friday breakfast but because I had some spare time, I made them ahead of time. Sometimes, baked goods taste better on the second day. 

As time went on, a divine scent wafted from the oven. My excitement grew with every passing second. 

I was practically drooling on my keyboard as I blogged about it! I imagined what they would look like when they were finished, and what they would taste like. Ahh, such blissful thoughts...

I'm going to be 100% honest. These muffins were a failed attempt. 

:(

This happens so often - the tops of my muffins/cupcakes cave in and I cannot explain why. I've Googled it before and most people have said it's either: A. too hot in the oven, B. too much baking powder, or C. opening the oven door too soon/too often. I kept the oven at the recommended temperature, and I didn't open the oven door until the timer went off!

Some of them were a little underdone, but others were getting overly browned. I couldn't decide whether to risk burning half of them to a crisp in order to cook the rest, or to leave them be and pray no one got salmonella. In the end, I took them out.

I'm beginning to think that the oven is just too strong. It's a great oven, it gets the job done, but all of my muffins have been sad little caved-in creations. In fact, it's been so long since I've had a nice, fluffy, domed cupcake, I can't recall what they taste like...

I was so disappointed in myself for failing yet again, I wanted to throw them out and never speak a word of them again. 

Typical wimp, eh? I know. I shame myself. 

Despite my disappointment, I tried one. With my eyes closed and my fingers crossed, I took a chunk out of the saddest-looking muffin in the batch (common act of hospitality: never take the best-looking one of anything). I brought it up to my mouth, and as I chewed, I was pleasantly surprised. 

An explosion of sweetness; a tang of lemon; a crunch of seeds; they were delightful. 

That doesn't mean I'm particularly happy with them. I have yet to crack the case of the terrible Muffin Top Plague that has befallen all of my muffins and cupcakes, but if you can get past the appearance, the taste and texture is just as delectable (and even more so) than store-bought.

*sigh* ...I tried. 

You live, you learn, you make mistakes. 

Some of us more than others. 

~JK