Cocoa Courgette Muffins
10 oz (280 g) plain flour
2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cinnamon
3 Tablespoons (45 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg
4-5 oz (110-140 g) light brown soft sugar
2-3 fl oz (60-90 ml) milk or water
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla essence/flavouring
12 oz (340 g) courgette, finely grated (or chopped in a food processor), which will yield about 16 fl oz (450 ml) when packed into a measuring jug - no need to peel the courgette, unless you want to avoid green flecks in the finished muffin
3 fl oz (90 ml) vegetable oil or 3 oz (85 g) butter, melted
3 oz (85 g) raisins or walnuts, chopped (optional)
What to do:
1 Prepare muffin tins. Preheat oven to 375-400�F (190-200�C) for a conventional oven, Gas Mark 5-6.
2 In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa powder.
3 In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add sugar, milk/water, vanilla, courgette and oil/melted butter.
Stir well.
4 Pour all of wet mixture into dry. Stir just until combined, adding dried fruit during the final strokes. Batter will be lumpy but no dry flour should be visible.
5 Spoon into tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tops spring back when pressed gently.
* use the deep, 12-hole muffin tins