Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2024)

Orange and Cardamom Muffins ~ delicately fragrant muffins flavored with bright orange zest and warm, spicy cardamom, this easy muffin recipe is unique and delicious!

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (1)

For a quick, easy, comforting breakfast, nothing beats my homemade orange and cardamom muffin recipe!

Is anybody making muffins anymore? It seems like they’ve totally gone out of fashion, right? But every time I make a batch I’m reminded of why I love them. These orange and cardamom muffins bake up so nice and tall, with a sugary crust on top, how could you resist? I don’t know why I thought of combining citrus with cardamom, I don’t think I’ve done it on the blog before, but boy, it’s so perfect. Neither taste is overpowering but they blend beautifully. The aroma is especially great when they’re just out of the oven, Definitely going to use this combo again!

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2)

You know I love my one bowl no-mixer recipes

They make baking from scratch so much more do-able. There’s less mess, and less lag time between the inspiration to bake and your first bite. Just grab your bowl and a whisk and you’re off to the races.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (3)

A plain muffin needs a little something something on the top, right?

I used my favorite Sparkling Sugar to add a little glitz and a sweet crunch. Less homey, more coffee shop. You could use regular sugar if that’s all you’ve got, but sparkling sugar has a bigger crystal and a great texture. I recommend picking some up from Amazon.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (4)

Muffins are nice to have around because they’re already pre-portioned and they keep well. Pop day old muffins in the micro for 20 seconds to revive that amazing aroma. They’re special enough for office potluck parties, especially in winter when a cozy muffin is everything.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (5)

One of the saving graces of deep winter is all the juicy citrus that comes into season.

It’s surprising how many different ways you can incorporate citrus into baking. In this recipe I use the juice and zest of the orange, but it’s the zest that really brings the orange flavor home. The outer orange colored part of the peel, or the zest, contains the flavor and aroma oils, which provide the true essence of the fruit flavor. The more you use, the more flavor payoff you’ll get.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (6)

How to zest an orange

  • The zest of citrus fruit is the very outer part of the peel…the part that is colored.
  • When you zest citrus fruit you are looking to remove just that outer colored part, with as little as possible of the white part underneath, which is bitter.
  • I highly recommend using a citrus zester, which is a tool specifically created to do the job.
  • Be sure to zest your fruit before cutting or juicing!
  • Zest your fruit as close to adding it to your recipe as possible, because the oils start to dissipate quickly.
Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (7)

More wintery breakfast ideas ~

  • Warm Maple Oat Nut Smoothie
  • Fresh Tangerine Scones
  • Homemade Chicken Apple Sausage
  • Fresh Ginger and Pear Cake

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (8)

Orange and Cardamom Muffins

Orange and Cardamom Muffins ~ delicately fragrant muffins flavored with bright orange zest and warm, spicy cardamom, this easy muffin recipe is unique and delicious!

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Prep Time:10 minutes minutes

Cook Time:20 minutes minutes

Total Time:30 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 muffins

Equipment

  • standard muffin pan

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Topping

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F and butter a muffin tin, or line with muffin tin liners.

  • Whisk together all the wet ingredients well.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add to the wet ingredients and fold everything together until there are no dry bits of flour left.

  • Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins, and top with a sprinkling of the sparkling sugar.

  • Bake for 20-22 minutes until risen and starting to turn golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out without wet batter clinging to it.

NEW FEATURE! Click here to add your own private notes.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: breakfast, cardamom, citrus, muffins, orange, snack

Nutrition

Calories: 270 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 7 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 34 mg · Sodium: 190 mg · Potassium: 151 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 16 g · Vitamin A: 80 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 59 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at @theviewfromgreatisland for a chance to be featured.

Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (9)
Orange and Cardamom Muffin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does cardamom go well with orange? ›

Ground cardamom: One of the more pungent spices in Mediterranean cooking, cardamom is a fairly warm spice with subtle lemony undertones that pair beautifully with orange. Eggs: Help provide structure to the cake. Orange: Both orange zest and orange juice are used for an utterly irresistible recipe.

What is the secret to moist muffins? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

What is the secret to high muffins? ›

Many muffin recipes instruct you to fill your muffin tin cavities two-thirds full. If you want taller muffins, fill three-quarters full or even all the way to the top of the pan. You may have less yield, but they'll look more like beautiful bakery-style muffins with more distinct muffin tops.

Do you use soda or powder for muffins? ›

Baking soda is most commonly used in cookie and muffin recipes. Baking powder, however, already contains an acid and a base and has a more neutral taste, which works great when baking cakes and bread.

Who should not use cardamom? ›

Potential Risks of Cardamom

People with gallstones should not take cardamom except to flavor food. We also need more research to determine the effects of large amounts of cardamom on women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor if you're considering taking cardamom as a supplement.

What flavors go well with cardamom in baking? ›

Cardamom harmonizes beautifully with warming spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, to infuse dishes with captivating essence. Bringing forth a medley of flavor, this remarkable spice can elevate a variety of dishes, like stews, soups and curries, baked goods, desserts, and beverages such as coffee or tea.

What does adding an extra egg do to muffins? ›

Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery. The explanation for this lies in the fact that eggs are made up of protein. As Fine Cooking explains, when the protein in eggs combines with the protein in flour, they produce the overall structure of the baked good.

Should muffin batter rest before baking? ›

Rest the Muffin Batter

The first, most hands-off way to make your muffins pop (literally) is to let the batter rest. Make the batter, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the batter rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. If you're short on time, just 30 minutes can make a difference.

How to hack muffin mix? ›

Makers love to use these 5 ways to experiment with muffin mixes to make something extra special.
  1. Add Fresh or Frozen Fruit to the Batter. ...
  2. Add a Cream Cheese Filling. ...
  3. Add Nuts to the Batter. ...
  4. Add a Sweet Topping. ...
  5. Make Something Completely Different.

Can I skip baking powder in muffins? ›

Because of its acidity, combining buttermilk with baking soda can produce the same leavening effect as baking powder. Add 1/2 a cup (122 grams) of buttermilk and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of baking soda to the rest of your ingredients for an easy substitute for 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder.

What does milk do in muffins? ›

One of the main roles of milk in baking is to provide moisture. It can help to keep baked goods from becoming too dry and crumbly, and can also add tenderness to the texture. In addition to adding moisture, milk can also help to create a softer crumb in breads and cakes.

What happens if you don't add baking soda to muffins? ›

The two react when exposed to moisture, creating carbon dioxide (the leavening gas) and a neutral salt. Leaving the acidic ingredient in (often a liquid such as buttermilk, orange juice, yogurt, etc.) and removing the baking soda means the muffin will be slightly more acidic.

What fruit goes with cardamom? ›

Although most people see cardamom as a savory spice, it pairs exceptionally well with a number of sweet fruits, especially plums, apples, and apricots. Try adding a cardamom pod or two to your fruit as it stews, or for a stronger flavor, mix in ½ a teaspoon of ground cardamom seeds.

What spices pair well with oranges? ›

Fruit Flavor Pairing Chart
Herbs and Spices
OrangeBasil, black pepper, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, mint, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, saffron, sage, star anise, tarragon, thyme
PapayaBlack pepper, cilantro, cinnamon, ginger, mint
Passion fruitCilantro, ginger
42 more rows
Feb 9, 2024

What blends with cardamom? ›

Oils that blend well with Cardamom oil

Whether you are creating your own essential oil diffuser blend, or looking for the best companion for Cardamom, consider using Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Fennel, Patchouli, Ylang Ylang, or citrus essential oils.

Which color compliments orange? ›

If you want to temper orange's intensity, pair with white. It can also work well alongside blue, which is its complementary color on the color wheel.

References

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