Zucchini Muffins

I love zucchini, but by August, it is the summer equivalent of fruitcake: passed around, handed out, abandoned on porches accompanied by the sound of spinning tires.  

This recipe is for those of you so blessed. It's spicy and sweet and makes good use of whole wheat, as well as brown rice flour. But the best endorsement? Boys will walk away from Battlefront to find the source of the smell.

Zucchini Muffins

(This makes 14 regular-sized muffins. So I make a 12-tin pan plus a mini bundt cake OR 7 mini bundt cakes. Can also be baked in a loaf pan for quick bread: 350º F, greased 9”x5” pan, about 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean.)

In advance:

• Grate and squeeze (wring some water out of) zucchini: you’ll need one cup, loosely packed.
• Melt ¼ cup butter or margarine and allow to cool.
• Grease muffin cups (baker’s joy works well here too)
• Preheat oven to 400º F

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup brown rice flour

(if you don’t have these specialty flours, try some others, or more regular flour)

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

Pinch of allspice

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 ¼ cup milk

¼ cup margarine or butter, melted

1 cup shredded, squeezed zucchini 

Sugar in the raw for garnish, optional

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix milk, eggs and melted butter or margarine. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and pour in the liquids plus the zucchini. Stir until just combined: do not overmix. Scoop into greased muffin tins or mini bundt cake pans. Sprinkle with sugar in the raw, if desired. Bake at 400º F for 12-15 minutes or until tester comes out clean.