Lizzie Crow is better known to most as Lizzie Baking Bird. From her tiny bakery in West Dorset, Lizzie creates an impressive range of sweet and savoury bakes, which you’ll find at Poundbury and Wimborne Farmers’ Markets, Bridport Market and the county’s food festivals and agricultural shows. A member of the Guild of Food Writers, Lizzie has won numerous Great Taste Awards. Find her on lizziebakingbird.co.uk
‘These muffins are delicious for breakfast, dinner or tea! Using our local Dorset Watercress gives a slightly savoury flavour, complemented with a scattering of chocolate (a good bitter chocolate is ideal) and a pop of orange.’ – Lizzie
Makes 10 | prep 20 mins | frosting 15mins | Cooking 25 to 30 mins
Ingredients
- 125g watercress
- 50g butter
- 175g sunflower oil
- 250g caster sugar
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 310g self-raising flour
- 30g full fat or semi-skimmed milk
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 100g chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 100g butter
- 250g icing sugar
- 3 tablespoons of orange juice
Method
- Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 10 paper cases around the outside, leaving the two middle holes free (I typically cook my muffins this way as frequently the middle ones don’t cook properly).
- Put the oven on at Gas 4/180C. Chop the watercress very finely, ideally in a blender.
- Melt the butter and combine it with the sunflower oil in a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, flour and milk and mix well – the batter will come together quickly and won’t take too much elbow grease.
- Stir in the orange zest, chocolate chips and watercress. Divide the mixture evenly amongst the 10 muffin cases and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they are raised and golden. Test with a skewer – it should come out clean when inserted in the middle. Leave the muffins to cool.
- To make the frosting, put the butter, icing sugar and orange juice in a bowl and beat until well blended and light in colour. Top the muffins with the frosting.
- Store for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
