Basic Muffin Batter (And Variations) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (1/2 cup) butter or (1/2 cup) margarine, at room temp
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 2 1/2 cups freshly ground soft wheat flour or 2 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preparation

Get out the additional ingredients for the variation you have chosen.
Heat oven to 375\u00b0F; grease 12 regular or 24 mini-muffin cups.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, baking powder and salt until pale and fluffy.
Beat in eggs.
Gently stir (fold) flour in alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour until well blended.
Follow the directions for the variation you've chosen and divide the batter among the muffin cups.
Bake 17 to 20 minutes for regular size, or 14 to 16 minute for mini muffins, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack.
CHOCOLATE CINNAMON**:
Add 1 teaspoons cinnamon to flour in Basic Batter. Stir in 1 cup melted semi- sweet chocolate chips after flour. Divide among muffin cups.
Cut up 4 ounces light cream cheese and press into batter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon. Bake as above.
APPLE ALMOND:
Crumble 1 can (8 oz.) or 1 roll (7 oz.) almond paste on top of Basic Batter and stir in with 1 cup chopped apple. Divide among muffin cups and top each with 2 thin slices apple (or 1 slice halves for minis).
Bake as above. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons warmed honey.
PUMPKIN STRUESEL:**.
Mix 2/3 cup solid-pack pumpkin, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons molasses, and 1 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice into Basic Batter. Divide among muffin cups. Top with crumbly mix of 3 tablespoons cold butter, 1/3 cup flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/3 cup chopped pecans. Bake as above.
CRANBERRY UPSIDE DOWN**:
Thoroughly grease muffin cups (do not line). Mix 3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg.
Divide among muffin cups. Press 1 pecan half into center. Spread Basic Batter gently over cranberries. Bake as above. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
CRANBERRY:**.
Mix 3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and 3/4 teaspoons nutmeg into Basic Batter. Bake as above.
SPICY MINCEMEAT:
Stir 1 cup mincemeat and 1/4 teaspoons Allspice into Basic Batter. Divide among muffin cups. Bake as above.