Golden muffins with a crunchy sugar cap...

...reveal a secret inside: delicious (and colorful) apricots, cranberries, pineapple, golden raisins, and dates.

These tiny little panettone lookalikes mimic that Italian Christmas cake's flavor, too: a touch of citrus, a hint of vanilla, and the nuanced sweetness of dried fruits.


Let's start with a couple of unusual ingredients. While you might not have them on hand right now, they're worth adding to your pantry stock .

King Arthur Cake Enhancer is an emulsifier, stabilizer, and texture-enhancer that'll keep cakes, muffins, breads, and buns moist and soft longer.

Can you make this recipe without it? Sure. It's an optional ingredient, though a helpful one.

Fiori di Sicilia ("flowers of Sicily") lends panettone its distinctive citrus/vanilla flavor – and does the same for these muffins.

OK, let's get down to business and bake some muffins.

Put 1 1/2 cups (213g to 255g) chopped dried fruit in a microwave-safe bowl. I'm using our Favorite Fruitcake Blend here, a combination of diced apricots, golden raisins, pineapple cubes, chopped dates, and sweetened cranberries.

Add 1/4 cup (57g) apple juice, orange juice, rum, or a mixture. I'm using straight rum here - ’tis the season!





Put the following in a mixing bowl:

4 tablespoons (57g) butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons (25g) vegetable oil
2/3 cup (131g) granulated sugar

Beat until well blended.

Add 2 large eggs, beating to combine.



Whisk together the following:

2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Cake Enhancer, optional, for enhanced freshness
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture alternately with 2/3 cup (152g) milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined. First flour...

...then milk, then flour again, until you've added all of both.

You should have a nice, thick batter.

Add the fruit and any remaining liquid.

Stir to combine.

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

A slightly heaped muffin scoop works well here.

The cups will be quite full.

Sprinkle each muffin with sparkling white sugar, if desired.

Don't skimp!

Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes.

When done (these are nicely risen, though not quite done), they'll be a sunny gold color on top, and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins will come out clean.


These muffins are best enjoyed warm. if you've made them ahead, try reheating individual muffins very briefly in the microwave.


Take a look at the paperless muffins on the left. See how they're peaking?

Looks like not only do papers look pretty and provide easy release; they insulate the muffin batter just enough that the sides don't set before the center is fully risen, making for a more evenly risen muffin.

Here's one last look – tempting, eh?


Jump to Comments
PJ Hamel
The Author

About PJ Hamel


View all posts by PJ Hamel