James Martin Toffee Apple Muffin

These James Martin toffee apple muffins are soft, moist, and packed with warm autumn flavour. Each muffin has tender apple pieces folded through a light sponge, finished with a sticky toffee topping that melts into the crumb as it bakes. The texture is fluffy with a gentle bite from the apples and a rich sweetness from the toffee. This is an easy bake that takes about 40 minutes from start to finish and suits both beginners and confident home bakers.

Ingredients

For the muffins

• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 115g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 120ml whole milk
• 2 eating apples, peeled, cored, and diced small

For the toffee topping

• 100g soft toffees, chopped
• 2 tbsp double cream

How to Make James Martin Toffee Apple Muffin

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and set it on the middle shelf so the muffins bake evenly.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Stir briefly to combine and remove any lumps.
• Cream the butter and sugar: In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. This helps give the muffins a light texture.
• Add the eggs and milk: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the milk. Mix until smooth and well combined.
• Combine and fold: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Fold gently until just combined, then fold in the diced apples without overmixing.
• Fill the cases: Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cases, filling each about three-quarters full.
• Add the toffee topping: Sprinkle the chopped toffees over each muffin and drizzle lightly with double cream.
• Bake: Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until risen, golden, and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
• Cool: Leave the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Tips

Why did my muffins turn out dense?

Overmixing the batter can knock out the air. Fold gently and stop as soon as the flour disappears.

How do I stop the apples sinking?

Dice the apples small and toss them lightly in a spoon of flour before folding them into the batter.

Can I make the toffee topping softer?

Warm the toffees gently with the cream before adding them to the muffins for a more melted finish.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with a cup of tea or coffee
• Add a spoon of vanilla ice cream for dessert
• Drizzle with extra warm toffee sauce before serving

Storage

Room temperature

Keep the muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator

Store for up to 4 days. Warm gently before serving to soften the toffee.

Freezing

Freeze without the topping for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and reheat briefly.

Nutrition

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated fat: 8g
• Sodium: 180mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary based on ingredients used.

FAQs

James Martin Toffee Apple Muffin

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Soft apple muffins with a light sponge and a sticky toffee topping. An easy British bake perfect for autumn.

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 115g unsalted butter, softened

• 150g light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 120ml whole milk

• 2 apples, diced

• 100g soft toffees, chopped

• 2 tbsp double cream

Directions

• Preheat oven and line muffin tin.
• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and milk.
• Fold in dry ingredients and apples.
• Fill cases, add toffee topping, and bake until golden.

Notes

• Do not overmix the batter.
• Best served slightly warm.