Aunt Kate’s Kitchen: Easy fruit muffin recipes from the 1930s that will get you through today

By Rebecca Shearer

October 8 2020, 12:51 pm

With fruit always being a winner in desserts, one of these muffin recipes – strawberry, pineapple or orange – is sure to win pride of place come snack time.

Muffins are a quick and easy bake that have stood the test of time. Almost any fruit, vegetable, nut or seed you can think of can be added to a muffin batter and turned into a delicious snack or treat.

Aunt Kate, the “original domestic goddess” has a whole page dedicated to them in her 1933 Baking Book, of which we have extracted three below.

For more of Aunt Kate’s baking recipes, take a look here.

Strawberry muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 tbsp strawberry jam
3 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
4 tbsp melted butter

Method

Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the eggs and enough milk and melted butter to form a stiff dough.
Add the jam and mix well.
Bake in greased muffin tins for 20 minutes at 190C.

Pineapple muffins

Ingredients

2¼ cups flour
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup crushed pineapple
3 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3 tbsp melted butter

Method

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
Beat the egg until light, add the milk then the melted butter.
Turn the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, add the pineapple and beat well.
Half-fill the greased muffin tins with the mixture and bake in a hot oven (approx 200C) for 25 minutes.

Orange muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
Loaf sugar (sugar cubes)
1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
¾ cup milk
Orange juice
Orange rind

Method

Sift the dry ingredients together.
Add the butter, mixing it in with a fork, then add enough milk to make a soft dough.
Turn on to a floured board, roll out to ½ inch in thickness, press a loaf/cube of sugar dipped in orange juice in the centre of each and grate a little rind on top.
Bake in a hot oven (approx 200C) for 15 minutes.