Muffin Recipes from 1950 Betty Crocker Cook Book

These Muffins are from the 1950's Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, when muffins were truly a quick bread not the cake-like confections we now know.

These use the standard Muffin Technique.

Popular Muffins (key recipe)

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup soft shortening
1 egg
1 cup milk

Sweeter Muffins (uses same instructions as Popular Muffins)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup soft shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Sift together into mixing bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt

Add soft shortening, egg, and milk

Mix together with blending fork or pastry blender. Use a cutting motion at first to divide shortening into small pieces (about 8 strokes). Then stir just until ingredients are blended. The batter will look lumpy. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown. Serve hot with butter and jam, marmalade, honey, or any desired spread.

Temperature: 400 degrees (mod. hot oven)
Time: Bake 20 to 25 min.
Amount: 12 medium-sized muffins

Sour Milk Muffins

Follow key recipe for Popular Muffins - except use only 2 tsp. baking powder , and add 1/2 tsp. soda; substitute sour milk for sweet milk.

Wheaties Muffins

Follow key recipe for Popular Muffins - except use only 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup milk and carefully fold in 2 cups WHEATIES at the last.

Blueberry Muffins

Follow key recipe for Sweeter Muffins above - and at the last blend in carefully 1 cup well drained fresh blueberries. If canned berries are used, 3/4 cup.

Apple Muffins

Follow the key recipe for Sweeter Muffins above - except sift 1/2 tsp. cinnamon with dry ingredients. Add 1 cup grated raw tart apple (unpared) with shortening. Bake 25 - 30 min. If desired, sprinkle top with:
NUT-CRUNCH TOPPING
Mix together 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup broken nuts, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.cd21`

Some "Extra Special Muffins," as she calls them on this page. These recipes use the Cake Method.

Also see her French Breakfast Puffs

Oatmeal Muffins

They're marvelous! So moist and rich.

She modifies this recipe for Best Bran Muffins.

Soak together for 1 hour . . .

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Mix together thoroughly...
1/3 cup soft shortening (part butter)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Sift together...
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt

and stir in mixture alternately with rolled oats and buttermilk.

Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown. Serve hot.

Temperature: 400 degrees (mod. hot oven)
Rime: Bake 20 to 25 min.
Amount: 12 medium-sized muffins

"Light-as-Feather" Muffins
from 1950s Betty Crocker Cookbook

One of the specialties of Mrs. K's Toll House, Silver Springs, Maryland, famous for its wonderful food and charming atmosphere.

Mix together thoroughly...
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening

Blend in...
1 egg

Sift together...
1 3/4 sifted cake flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

and stir in alternately with...
1 cup milk

Fill greased muffins cups 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown. Serve hot.

Temperature: 375 degrees (quick mod. oven)
Time: Bake 20 to 23 min.
Amount: 14 - 16 small muffins

Sour Cream Muffins ("Country Breakfast Muffins")
from Betty Crocker Cookbook 1950 edition

"With the so good flavor and tenderness." She calls these "Country Breakfast Muffins (Sour Cream)"

This recipe uses the cakelike technique for mixing the batter and adds sour cream.

1 egg
2 T. sugar
1 T. soft shortening
1 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat the egg until light. Beat in the sugar, shortening, and sour cream. Sift together and mix in the dry ingredients. Add just until moistened. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.

Variations (These are not in Betty's Cookbook. Whatever website I got this from must have had these listed):

Blueberry - add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (dust with flour to prevent bleeding)
Apple Cinnamon - add 1 cup chopped apple and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle top with sugar and cinnamon before baking.