Several months ago, I saw a recipe for Raspberry Muffins in a hundred-year-old magazine, and have been anxiously waiting to try it. Finally, the black raspberries in my backyard are ripe, and I dug the recipe out and made it.
The recipe was a winner. The Raspberry Muffins were soft, moist, and tasty. They had just the right amount of sweetness, and a hint of cinnamon which worked perfectly with the sweet tartness of the berries.
I served these muffins with coffee to a group of friends. There was a discussion about whether I used blackberries (that are commonly sold in stores) or black raspberries (which are almost never seen in stores) when making the muffins. At least one person in the coffee group hadn’t even known that there was a fruit called black raspberries until I made the muffins.
The original recipe does not indicate whether red or black raspberries should be used. I used black raspberries, but red ones would also work well.
Here’s the original recipe:
A hundred-years-ago many families still lived on farms; and, even in towns, much of the milk that was sold was not pasteurized. Back then, if the non-pasteurized milk was not used quickly, the “good” bacteria in the milk would turn it into a sour milk suitable for use in recipes that used baking soda as the leavening agent. Today’s pasteurized milk can be turned into a sour milk by adding a little vinegar or lemon juice to create a slightly curdled acidic milk that results on bubbles of carbon dioxide gas when combined with the baking soda which causes the baked good to rise.
The raspberries are coated with flour to make them less likely to sink to the bottom of the batter while baking.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Raspberry Muffins
1 cup raspberries (either red or black raspberries can be used)
1 1/2 cups flour + 2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
3 tablespoons shortening or butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
Step 1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
Step 2. Put the raspberries in a small bowl and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons flour; gently stir/roll the berries to lightly coat with flour. Set aside.
Step 3. Put the milk in a small bowl and stir in the vinegar/lemon juice. Set aside.
Step 4. Put shortening/butter and sugar in mixing bowl, then cream them together.
Step 5. Add egg, soured milk, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; stir to combine.
Step 6. Add 1 1/2 cup flour, and stir until just combined.
Step. 7. Add flour-coated raspberries; gently stir to distribute evenly throughout batter.
Step 8. Grease muffin tins (or use paper liners), and then fill each muffin cup 3/4th full with batter. Bake for approximately 25 – 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
I have fresh ones if the bears and birds don’t eat them all and organic as well.
My black raspberries are all gone now, but blackberries are just starting. I will definitely try this recipe. They would be so handy to freeze and pull out one to enjoy with early morning coffee.
I’m amazed at how many people are not familiar with black raspberries. They argue when you try to tell them that the berries aren’t “blackberries.”
This looks very much worth trying, but I’m going to hope for raspberries in the store once I’m willing to turn on the oven again.