Today's Recipe - Pretty & Delicious Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins

[Cafe Beth]

Pretty & Delicious Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins

Posted by Maressa Brown on February 15, 2012 at 10:23 AM

I don't mean to brag, but I just got back from Florida where it was in the 70s, and my boyfriend and I could sit at a bar by the pool, drinking mojitos and citrusy beers. Now we totally aspire to be like senior citizen snowbirds every winter. But in the meantime, we're back up north where it's rainy and cold, and spring seems so ... far ... away. Ick.

One way to cope: Baking up something that will take us back to that poolside bar. Like, how 'bout pineapple-upside down muffins?! I'm sure you'd agree that getting just a taste of a tropical vacation would be a welcome reprieve from winter weather, eh?

Pineapple-Upside Down Muffins from EatingWell.com

Ingredients

Topping

• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, or pecans (optional)
• 1 (10-ounce) can pineapple slices

Muffins

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice, or orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, (not drained)
• 1 cup grated carrot, (1 large)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup raisins, preferably baking raisins (see Ingredient note)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, or pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. To prepare topping: Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar into each muffin cup. Sprinkle nuts, if using, over the sugar. Stack pineapple slices and cut into 6 wedges. Place 2 wedges in each muffin cup.
3. To prepare muffins: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
4. Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in oil, juice and vanilla. Stir in crushed pineapple. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in carrot, oats, raisins, and nuts, if using. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they'll be quite full).
5. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and firm to the touch, 15 to 25 minutes. Immediately loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a baking sheet. Restore any stray pineapple pieces and nuts. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve upside-down, either warm or at room temperature.

[KaylaMillar]

dh would love these!

[delanna6two]

Those are cute:)

[goddess99]

Yum looks so good

[periwinkle163]

 Those are beautiful.