Serendipity Muffins ~ Φανουρο-μάφιν!

“The way the… muffin crumbles”

One of the very first recipes I shared here on the blog was that for a traditional Greek Saint Fanourios’ Cake. The mystical story behind said recipe holds that on the night of August 26th, women bake a “Fanouropita” [Fa-nu-ró-peeh-ta] in preparation for Saint Fanourios’ day. On August 27th, the day when the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the Saint, they take it to church to be “blessed” during Mass and share it, after dismissal, with the rest of the congregation. (The name “Fanourios” [Fa-nú-reeh-os] comes from the verb “fanerono” which means “to reveal” in Greek).

Even though called a “pita” (meaning a pie) it is essentially a cake baked with no milk, butter or eggs because it is supposed to be appropriate for fasting. Tradition holds that it should only have 7 or 9 main ingredients —the recipe I’ll give you has 9, if we don’t count water & leavening agents.

The cake is supposed to be an offering to Saint Fanourios in exchange for his help on revealing a lost item, it being anything from an actual valuable to something more abstract like love for the lonely or health for the sick, professional success, happiness, joy or world peace… Of course one can make it throughout the year and doesn’t have to wait for August 27^th  if in need of immediate divine intervention!

So, despite the fact that I have yet to attest to its mystical success, I keep baking it every single year because it serves both as a sweet memory of me, mom and grandma baking away in the kitchen and as a scrumptious, soft & light cake that is also vegetarian/vegan and cholesterol free.

Want to add a fun twist to the entire thing? I tweaked the cake into muffins! Let’s call them Serendipity Muffins, shall we?!

[recipe title=”Φανουρο-Μάφιν!” servings=”24 μάφιν” time=”40 λεπτά” difficulty=”εύκολη”]

[recipe-ingredients]
– 4 φλυτζάνια αλεύρι (1 κιλό)
– 4 κουταλάκια του γλυκού baking powder
– 1 κουταλάκι του γλυκού κανέλα

– 1 φλυτζάνι λάδι (250 ml)
– 1 φλυτζάνι + 2 κουταλιές της σούπας ζάχαρη (280 γρ)
– 1 φλυτζάνι πορτοκαλάδα (250 ml)
– 1 φλυτζάνι νερό (250 ml)
– 1 κουταλάκι του γλυκού μαγειρική σόδα

– ξύσμα από 1 λεμόνι
– 1 φλυτζάνι σταφίδες (250 γρ)
– 1 φλυτζάνι καρύδια ή αμύγδαλα τριμμένα (250 γρ)
[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]
1. Σε ένα μπολ κοσκινίζουμε το αλεύρι με το baking powder και την κανέλα.
2. Σε ένα άλλο μπολ χτυπάμε το λάδι με τη ζάχαρη, την πορτοκαλάδα, και το νερό, στο οποίο έχουμε διαλύσει από πριν τη σόδα.
3. Προσθέτουμε το αλεύρι (με το baking powder & την κανέλα) και συνεχίζουμε να ανακατεύουμε μέχρι να δημιουργηθεί μια ζύμη σαν αυτή του κέικ.
4. Προσθέτουμε το ξύσμα, τα καρύδια (ή τα αμύγδαλα) και τις σταφίδες.
5. Χρησιμοποιούμε ταψί για muffin/cupcake, με θήκες (καραμελόχαρτο) και ψήνουμε σε προθερμασμένο φούρνο, στους στους 220 °C για 22 λεπτά.
6. Αφήνουμε τα μάφιν να κρυώσουν & πασπαλίζουμε με ζάχαρη άχνη (προαιρετικά).
[/recipe-directions]

[/recipe]

Print Recipe

Serendipity Muffins

Course

Cakes

Cuisine

Greek

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

muffins

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour (1000 g/2.20 lb)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground clove
• 1 cup water (250 ml/8.5 Fl. oz)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup olive oil (250 ml/8.5 Fl.oz)
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar (280 g/0.62 lb)
• 1 cup orange juice (250 ml/8.5 Fl.oz)
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans (250 g/0.55 lb)
• 1 cup raisins (250 g/0.55 lb)

Course Cakes Cuisine Greek Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Servings muffins Ingredients 4 cups flour (1000 g/2.20 lb) 4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground clove 1 cup water (250 ml/8.5 Fl. oz) 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup olive oil (250 ml/8.5 Fl.oz) 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar (280 g/0.62 lb) 1 cup orange juice (250 ml/8.5 Fl.oz) 2 tsp lemon zest 1 cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans (250 g/0.55 lb) 1 cup raisins (250 g/0.55 lb)

Instructions

1. In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and cinnamon.
2. Dissolve the baking soda into the water. In another bowl whisk the olive oil with the sugar, water & orange juice.
3. Add the flour mix to the olive-oil mix and continue whisking until you have a smooth batter.
4. Add the lemon zest, nuts & raisins to the batter and fold them in.
5. Use muffin liners in a non-stick muffin pan, fill with 1 scoop of batter in each cup and bake in a preheated oven at 430 °F/220 °C for 22 minutes per batch.
6. Remove muffins from pan, allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar (optional).

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*images by Athina D. Pantazatou for Kicking Back the Pebbles