Moist and Fluffy Cream Cheese Muffins
Melt-in-your-mouth Bliss: A Moist Cream Cheese Muffin Recipe
Craving a more decadent dessert experience? Unlike flatter versions of cream cheese muffins, this recipe yields generous, standard-sized muffins that promise a truly satisfying treat. Get ready for a fluffy exterior and an incredibly moist, soft interior bursting with rich cream cheese flavor!
Muffin Batter (Makes 24)
- 300g Cream Cheese (softened at room temperature)
- 300g Unsalted Butter (softened at room temperature)
- 480g Granulated Sugar
- 12 Large Eggs (at room temperature, ensure no chill)
- 9g Rum-Raisins
- 600g All-Purpose Flour
- 90g Almond Flour
- 30g Skim Milk Powder
- 14g Baking Powder
Cream Cheese Topping
- 390g Cream Cheese
- 90g Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar)
- 3 Large Egg Yolks
- 390g Cream Cheese
- 90g Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar)
- 3 Large Egg Yolks
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, measure and sift your dry ingredients for the muffin batter. Sift the all-purpose flour, skim milk powder, and baking powder twice through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother texture.
Step 2
Sift the almond flour through a coarser sieve twice. This helps to break up any clumps.
Step 3
Combine the sifted all-purpose flour mixture and the almond flour. Sift them together once more through the coarser sieve. This ensures all dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
Step 4
Prepare the base ingredients for your batter: cream cheese and butter. Make sure both have been softened at room temperature until pliable.
Step 5
In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter. Using a hand mixer, cream them together until smooth and creamy. Achieving a light, fluffy consistency here is key.
Step 6
Gradually add the granulated sugar in 3-4 additions, mixing well after each addition. Adding sugar all at once can cause the cream cheese and butter to separate, so be patient and mix thoroughly.
Step 7
Use eggs that have been brought to room temperature and have lost their chill. Whisk the eggs lightly in a separate bowl, then gradually add them to the creamed mixture, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Avoid adding the next portion of egg until the previous one is fully incorporated.
Step 8
Finally, gently mix in the rum-raisins to complete the batter preparation. The rum-raisins will add a subtle fragrance and depth of flavor to your muffins.
Step 9
In a separate bowl, place the sifted dry ingredients. Pour the cream cheese batter over the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold the batter by cutting through the mixture and bringing it up from the bottom. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour, as overmixing can develop gluten and result in tough muffins.
Step 10
This completes your main muffin batter! Now, let’s prepare the delicious cream cheese topping.
Step 11
For the topping, mix the cream cheese using a hand mixer until it’s smooth and free of lumps.
Step 12
Add the powdered sugar gradually in 2-3 increments, mixing on low speed. Be cautious: if you add all the powdered sugar at once and use high speed, it can create a cloud of sugar dust, making it difficult to see and potentially messy! Low speed is your friend here.
Step 13
Add the egg yolks and mix gently until just combined to finish the topping mixture.
Step 14
Line your muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each liner with the main batter until it’s about 70% full. Overfilling can cause them to spill over during baking, so aim for a moderate amount.
Step 15
Prepare a piping bag by snipping off the tip. Fill the piping bag with the prepared cream cheese topping mixture.
Step 16
Pipe the topping mixture onto the main batter in each muffin liner. You can get creative with your piping for a visually appealing finish!
Step 17
Gently tap the filled muffin tin on the counter a couple of times. This helps to release any large air bubbles trapped in the batter, promoting even baking and a finer crumb.
Step 18
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature slightly and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Adjust baking time and temperature according to your oven’s performance.
Step 19
When baking in two racks, the muffins that started baking on the top rack turned out beautifully puffed and round (though a slightly imperfect shape can be charming too!).
Step 20
The muffins that started on the bottom rack spread out initially, but after being moved to the top rack, the topping erupted like molten lava, creating an incredibly appetizing appearance! It’s quite fascinating!
Step 21
Using two oven racks did require a bit more effort and attention, but the results were well worth it!
Step 22
The taste is absolutely divine! They are incredibly soft and melt in your mouth with a delightful sweetness.
Step 23
The cream cheese used this time had a more pronounced tanginess than usual, likely due to a different yogurt culture. It gives it a unique character.
Step 24
Instead of just ‘tangy,’ it’s quite ‘sour’ – a strong zesty note that adds a distinct flavor profile.
Step 25
This resulted in cream cheese muffins with a noticeable, distinctive sourness.
Step 26
Even if the appearance isn’t perfect, the flavor is undeniably spectacular! Highly recommended!
