Cardamom and Orange Sourdough Muffins

My poor sourdough had a good layer of hooch on it yesterday.  I made some waffles, fed it, and it still doubled by the afternoon!  I so dearly love that starter.  Today I decided to use it again and give it another feed before chilling again.  These muffins were the delicious result.  Everyone liked them and I am usually the lone muffin person.  I will make them again for sure, I love cardamom anyway. 

Cardamom and Orange Sourdough Muffins
makes 8 muffins

1 cup (130g) flour
6 tbsp sugar (can reduce to 4 tbsp if desired)
⅜ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp arrowroot starch
1 tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp sea salt

¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup sourdough starter (fed or unfed)
¼ cup applesauce
1 tbsp fresh orange zest (grated with a microplane or very finely minced)
½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup milk
1 tbsp Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tbsp orange juice
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a muffin tin.  (You can use paper liners if desired.)
In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, starch, cardamom, and salt.  Whisk together and set aside.  In a medium bowl combine the butter, starter, applesauce, zest, vanilla, milk, yogurt, orange juice, and egg and mix until blended.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold together just until combined.  (Over mixing will result in tough muffins.)
Use a spoon or muffin scoop to portion the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until lightly golden on top.  (Muffins are done when the center is ~200ºF or a toothpick comes out clean.)
Cool the pan for a minute on a wire rack, then remove the muffins to finish cooling.

 (They really are quite delicious warm, with butter!)

 

 Here are some more muffins for your Monday:

• Blood Orange Yogurt Muffins from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Cardamom and Orange Sourdough Muffins from A Messy Kitchen
• Cheddar Cheese Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Cheesy Spelt Mini Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Sourdough Hot Cross Buns from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Sourdough Multi-grain Grape Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories