my muffins wont rise :(

[lozza]

can anyone help me with this? i dunno what i am doing wrong. i've looked up many different recipes for vegan muffins. i've followed the recipes almost exactly, using the closest alternatives i can.

no matter what i do though, my muffins wont rise. they just sort of blob into each other, lol. i mean, they still taste good. but...its annoying, as i cant get them to look like real muffins.

in my last batch, i used baking powder AND self-raising flour. but they still didnt rise. i dunno what more i can do?

thanks if you can help :)

[Mr Flibble]

What recipes have you tried? The basic formula for working sponge/muffins is 1.5 heaped tsp baking powder to 400g self raising flour, where the flour is in a 8:6:3 ratio with sugar and fat. This (http://www.parsleysoup.co.uk/VeganCakes/lemon_cake.htm) is an excellent example of a vegan sponge batter (for cake or muffins) that I can guarantee will rise if you follow the instructions correctly.

[lozza]

thanks alot :)

i've just used random recipes that i have found, such as:

http://rootswithwings.wordpress.com/2005/03/29/vegan-strawberry-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins/

http://www.veganfamily.co.uk/muffin.htm

[PygmyGoat]

I used to get this problem a lot. Now I always add a large teaspoon full of syrup to cakes and muffins, and cook them for slightly longer on a lower oven setting (170) and they seem to be much better :) .

[twinkle]

I have 4 tips for you (but first pre-heat your oven)

1) use a fresh bag of self-raising flour (I like Dove's Farm, which is organic) and forget (or be very sparing of) the baking powder
2) sieve your flour into the bowl to incorporate air
3) put your wet ingredients and sugar in a blender and whizz it up
4) once you've mixed wet and dry ingredients get them into your preheated ASAP.

[Mr Flibble]

Twinkle points something very important out - rising during cooking is done by raising agents reacting and creating gas. Some mixtures that are heavy (particularly if you use banana as the binding agent) need a lot of raising agent if it is the only way of incorpertating air and if they do rise you can end up having a cake that tastes very bicarby. I always use an electric mixer (I don't use a blender as I generally gauge the consistancy by sight and adjust accordingly) to get as much air into the batter as is humanly possible then get it in a hot oven ASAP so that it can begin to set with lots of air already incorperated in. You can do it without a mixer if you really go for it with a spoon - I have a sillicon spoon with a hole (http://images.orgill.com/200x200/7681430.JPG) (mine's much nicer than that one, but that's the only photo I could find) for the very purpose when mixing up enough for a dessert.

[twinkle]

Oh yeah, don't put your sugar in with the wet ingredients if the recipe calls for you to "cream" the sugar and a solid fat together, because that's another way of incorporating air into the recipe. I just like to do it when I'm making muffins otherwise I sometimes find I'm still getting a sugar granule-y texture, or lumps if I've used some of the dark stuff :)

[cedarblue]

on the vegan family website lozza, have a look at the choc chip orange muffins!!

i have made them several times with perfect results each time - no one can tell they're vegan. i guess if you use the same basic ingredients and method but vary the flavour aspect, they should work with any addition. im thinking of making some blueberry ones with the basic recipe.

[debby]

Buy yourself "The Garden of Vegan: How It All Vegan" or "The Garden of Vegan: How It All Vegan Again" by Tanya Barnard, Sarah Kramer. There are muffin recipes that I have tried and they turn out very well. Make sure you fill the muffin tins almost 3/4 full. Good luck.

[purple.cow]

I use the recipes from "Simple Treats" those muffins rise!