I have quite the rhubarb patch on our property and still had rhubarb leftover in our freezer from last summer. Clearly it was time to use some up. While I contemplated rhubarb crisp and rhubarb margaritas, I decided on muffins since they seemed a nice snack for kicking off the first week of summer vacation for the kids.
Instead of my usual rhubarb oat muffins, I decided to add some pizzazz. I really like the way a tiny bit of sweet orange works with the tartness of my fresh cranberry sauce, so I decided to give it a whirl with rhubarb.
Rhubarb & Sweet Orange Muffins
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- 2 cups diced rhubarb
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (from a fresh orange or Clementine)
- 4 drops sweet orange oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together sugar, egg, oil, milk, orange zest, and sweet orange oil. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture. Fold in the rhubarb. Pour batter into prepared muffin pans. (Either paper liners or greased pan cups.) Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Makes 12.
Make sure your sweet orange oil is food grade. Most decent brands of essential oils are food grade, but you still want to check. The oil and zest really add a lot of fragrance to the muffins making them a sensory experience.
Rhubarb season lasts just long enough to carry us into berry season, then plum season, then apple season. I might need to add a few cherry trees to our fruit grove just because.
Also check out:
Pear Rhubarb Smoothie with Dandelion Greens
Rhubarb & Mixed Berry Pie {Gluten Free}
Rhubarb Oat Muffins with a Tart Rhubarb Glaze