Problem Solving

Muffins have tunnels and are dry

- Batter was over mixed (too much gluten development).

- Over baked and/or oven too hot.

- Too much flour and/or too little liquid.

Muffins have an uneven shape

- Too much batter in each cup (fill only 1/2 to 2/3 full). Overfilling will cause muffins to have "flying saucer" like tops.

- Oven temperature too high.

Tops are brown but muffin is not cooked through

- Oven temperature too high.

- Oven rack not in center of oven.

Muffin does not rise sufficiently

- Oven temperature too low.

- Batter over mixed or incorrect amount of leaveners.

Muffins Stick to Pan

- Pan was not prepared properly.

- Let muffins sit in pan too long after removing from oven. Try placing the pan on a wet towel for a few minutes to loosen the muffins. Run a sharp edge around the inside of each muffin.

Streusel - Streusels are now used as a topping for cakes, coffee cakes, Danish pastries, muffins, pies, sweet breads, and tarts. Streusel is a crumbly topping containing a mixture of butter, flour, and sugar. Spices, chopped nuts, and oats can be added. This mixture is sprinkled over the top of baked goods before they are placed in the oven. It provides a crisp crust that adds both taste and texture to baked goods.

Note: Resist the temptation to add more baking powder to your muffin recipe, thinking it will give you higher muffins. If you over leaven your batter it will cause the muffins to over inflate when baked, which weakens the structure and will cause the muffin to collapse. This will result in a heavy, compact textured muffin.

General rule of thumb is 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking powder or 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 cup (120 ml) of an acidic ingredient, leavens 1 cup (140 grams) of all-purpose flour. The exact amount will vary according to the ingredients used and how the batter is mixed.