When I started drafting the intro for this post, I realized that I've written some version of it at least a dozen times over the past several years of blogging: I needed something to bring to a potluck. Something not too difficult to put together on a hectic Friday morning. Something portable and crowd pleasing.
Also, I clearly have a thing for muffins, as this makes muffin recipe number seven on the blog. There's just something reassuring about muffins—they're a baked good that comes through for you without too much effort. They make you feel like everything is under control, and even if they don't, you'll end up with something reliably tasty.
So, corn and basil muffins.
Since the potluck was focused on appetizers, I wanted a savory muffin rather than a sweet version, and this recipe from Sweet Potato Chronicles fit the current season. In Minnesota, sweet corn is everywhere in late August, from the beds of pickup trucks at roadside stands to dessert menus at upscale restaurants. In these muffins, the sweetness of the corn is complimented by the cooling note of the fresh basil, and the chili powder adds a touch of pizzazz.
The batter is a bit thicker than a typical muffin batter, and you'll need to scoop it into the muffin tin instead of pouring. I used a 1/3 cup measuring cup as my scoop and ended up with 10 full-sized muffins and one partial muffin that Mike and I ate for quality control. I noticed that the muffins stayed moist longer than I expected (they tasted freshly baked after two days), which is likely due to acidity of the buttermilk.
Adapted from Sweet Potato Chronicles
Yield: about 10 muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with paper or silicon liners.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sugar, baking soda, and chili powder until well-combined.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the buttermilk and butter and mix until well-combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fold in the corn and basil until evenly distributed.
Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
Bake until muffins are golden and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Remove muffins from tins and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
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