Ube Muffins

Have you ever had anything ube before?  Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines, with a sweet and vanilla-like flavor.  It's even sweeter than the orange garnet (sweet potato) yams that are more easily obtainable here in the states.  You can find ube flavor in boba, lattes, soft serve, doughnuts, cakes, puddings, flan, cheesecake, etc., but finding an actual true ube yam at the grocery store is not such an easy task.  So this recipe relies on a more readily obtainable ube product: ube jam.  I used the brand that is available at our local World Market for seven bucks.  Most ube recipes tend to use ube extract to enhance the flavor, but be warned, it stains if you spill it!  Especially if you knock it out of the pantry and it splatters open all over your floor and feet...

That's some purple there!

 I totally recommend eating these wonderfully tender muffins fresh and warm, with butter.

Ube Muffins
makes 7 standard muffins

175g ube jam (~¾ cup + 1-2 tbsp)
1 egg, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup avocado oil
¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature
¼-½ tsp ube extract (depending on how much extra color and ube flavor you want, can omit)
¾ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

Topping:
1½ tbsp pepitas, roughly chopped, toasted if raw
1½ tbsp brown sugar

Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups with butter or baking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together: flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the ube jam and the sugar until smooth and no lumps remain.  Add the oil and buttermilk and whisk to combine. Whisk in the egg and extract until the mixture is fully combined.

Using a spatula, stir in the flour mixture just until evenly combined.

Using a muffin/ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and chopped pepitas.

Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the muffins are golden and springy to the touch. Internal temp will be around 200º and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and serve them warm with butter or place them onto the wire rack to cool to room temperature.

 These muffins are wonderful warm, and butter is highly recommended.

 Be sure to check out some more letter U recipes:

• Blogghetti: Easy Homemade Peach Upside Down Cake 
• Food Lust People Love: Spicy Urad Dal
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Stir-Fried Udon Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables (Yaki Udon)
• A Messy Kitchen: Ube Muffins
• Magical Ingredients: Ube Paratha
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Ukranian Cod in Tomato Sauce
  
• Sneha’s Recipe: Upvasachi Shengdanyachi Usal/Peanut Sundal - Keto
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Unsweetened Coconut Oatmeal Peach Crisp
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Utah Buttermilk Scones
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Vegetable Upma