Yoon’s Chocolate Muffins: A Rich & Moist Homemade Recipe Recalling Childhood Favorites
[Yoon’s Baking] 3. Nostalgic & Delicious Chocolate Muffins Recipe
With the recent surge in popularity of Pokémon bread, I was reminded of the chocolate muffins I used to enjoy, so I decided to make them myself! These chocolate muffins have a perfectly balanced chocolate flavor, offering a satisfyingly moist and not-too-sweet taste. If you prefer a sweeter profile, feel free to add a bit more sugar or mix in some chocolate chips. This recipe yields delightful muffins perfect for special occasions, as a treat for kids, or for enjoying during a cozy afternoon tea. Let’s bake some wonderful chocolate muffins together!
Muffin Batter Ingredients- 100g cake flour (for a tender crumb)
- 100g sugar (adjust to taste)
- 35g cocoa powder (for a deep chocolate flavor)
- 2g baking soda (for tenderness and lift)
- 1g baking powder (for adequate rise)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 55g vegetable oil (like canola or grapeseed oil)
- 120g milk (at room temperature)
- 5g vinegar (helps the milk curdle slightly, like buttermilk)
- 1g vanilla extract (optional, reduces eggy smell)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, combine 120g of milk with 5g of vinegar in a bowl and set it aside. This will create a slight curdling effect, similar to buttermilk. While that rests, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the 100g of cake flour, 100g of sugar, 35g of cocoa powder, 2g of baking soda, and 1g of baking powder until well combined. (Tip: If you don’t have cake flour, all-purpose or bread flour can be used, but the texture might be slightly different.)
Step 2
To the slightly curdled milk mixture, add 1 room-temperature egg and 55g of vegetable oil. Whisk gently until combined. Then, pour this mixture into the bowl with the egg and oil, and whisk again until smooth. Ensure all the wet ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
Step 3
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing gently with a spatula or whisk. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing, as this can lead to tough muffins. Fold the ingredients together until they are just combined. (Tip: Overmixing is the enemy of tender muffins!)
Step 4
Once the batter is almost fully mixed, stir in 1g of vanilla extract. Vanilla extract helps to neutralize any potential eggy odors. However, in chocolate muffins, the strong chocolate flavor often masks the egg smell, so it’s perfectly fine to omit it if you don’t have it on hand.
Step 5
Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). While the oven preheats, line a muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each liner about two-thirds full with the batter, leaving room for the muffins to rise. Once the oven is preheated, carefully place the filled muffin tin inside and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 6
Oven temperatures can vary, so it’s a good practice to check for doneness. About 5 minutes before the baking time is up, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are ready. If it comes out with wet batter, bake for an additional 2 to 5 minutes and check again.
Step 7
The muffins will be very hot straight out of the oven, so allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before enjoying. Cooling allows the flavors to meld and the texture to set perfectly. These muffins taste just like the comforting, classic chocolate muffins you might remember. For a sweeter taste, you can increase the sugar slightly or add chocolate chips to the batter before baking. They are wonderful enjoyed with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk!
