Jelly Donut Muffins

Dear Devon,

Orwasher’s Bakery on East 78th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues has memorable jelly donuts. They are made daily in small batches and usually sell out by noon. Bigger than a clenched fish, the donut is rich and dense, capped with an even layer of powdered sugar, and filled with a thick red jelly. These are probably the best jelly donuts I have ever eaten.

I used to live around the corner from Orwasher’s. On Sundays, I often intended to rise before noon to capture one of these coveted confections. I was disappointed many times -- evidently I wasn’t the only person enjoying them. About a year ago, I decided to settle my craving for jelly donuts and crossed the Park before noon on a Sunday. To my surprise, the bakery is under new management. Though they kept the Orwasher’s name, the secret of the jelly donut disappeared with its previous owner. Quel horreur! With the memory of this jelly donut floating in my thoughts, I attempted to create something that embodied the character of the jelly donut.

What exactly made these donuts so good? Perhaps it was the spongy texture, or the overwhelming density? Maybe the thick, almost opaque jelly, or the generous dusting of powdered sugar? I like to imagine Jewish grandmothers placing them into the sticky hands of their grandchildren before the days of transfat regulation.

Having identified the three most important traits of the donut, I referenced the Joy of Cooking for inspiration and guidance. I combined three recipes 1) the basic muffin recipe 2) “donut” muffins and 3) filled muffins. Basic muffins batter is self-explanatory. “Donut” muffins are muffins dipped in melted butter and tossed in sugar and filled muffins have jelly or cream centers. These three recipes served as my launching pad.

I substituted half and half to get a richer, denser crumb and to create a fattier, creamier morsel. A high quality cherry jelly is essential to the success of any jelly donut. The jelly squeezed into an Orwasher’s donut was more like a custard than jelly -- thick and opaque, deep ruby red, and smooth. I loved taking that first excited bite and tasting the sweet jelly that oozed into my mouth. Each consecutive bite became more treacherous as jelly mischievously seeped out of hidden pockets. I opted not to pipe jelly into my muffins. Instead, I filled each muffin cup half way full of batter then dropped in a generous spoonful of jelly before topping with second large dollop of batter. Surprisingly, the jelly doesn’t sink to the bottom, and remains intact throughout the baking process. In place of powdered sugar, I sweeten the muffin tops with a much tidier cinnamon sugar. The spicy fragrance of cinnamon enhances the first bite and contrasts nicely with the sweet cherry jelly. I don’t think Mr. Orwasher will mind.

In the end, I was more excited by the idea of making jelly donut muffins than the result. The muffin tasted fantastic, and looked good. Cinnamon sugar pairs nicely with the simple creamed based muffin and tangy cherry jelly. There were no complaints at my brunch table: I would definitely make them again. I enjoy their whimsical character. But, in the end, I was doomed from the start. Muffins will never be donuts, and I probably shouldn’t have tried to deceive myself. So far, I still haven’t found a substitute for Orwasher’s jelly donuts…


Jelly Donut Muffins
Makes 12

2 cups flour (1 cup all purpose, 1 cup cake flour)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup half and half
6 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cherry jam (more as needed)

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 12 tin muffin tin. To maintain the illusion of a donut, I do not line the muffin cups with paper liners. I like the rough texture of the muffin bottom. Set aside buttered tin.

Whisk flours, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together thoroughly half and half, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add egg mixture to flour and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Fill each muffin cup roughly 2/3 full. Top with a small spoonful of jelly, roughly 1/2 tsp each, centered in each muffin cup. Cover each muffin with a generous spoonful of the remaining batter.

Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a drying rack before removing from the muffin tin.

Combine sugar and cinnamon. In the bowl of a double boiler, melt butter. Brush muffin tops with melted butter. Dip muffin top into prepared bowl of cinnamon sugar. If you are feeling extra decadent, double the recipe for cinnamon sugar and toss the entire muffin in this sweet, spicy mix.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Bananas on the brink of ripeness, still a bit green, or on the edge of being thrown out are my kind of bananas. I am completely unaware of all others. I love the starchiness and the slightly bitter taste of immature bananas. My mother always found this a bit weird. I begged her to buy green ones. I carefully monitored their progress from green to bright yellow, then I devoured them. Once the remaining bananas developed black spots - reincarnation - Banana Bread!


Quickbreads make easy and impressive desserts or breakfast treats. One-bowl recipes are my idea of cooking. Nothing like standing over a steamy sink filled with dirty dishes to make you regret the chicken mole enchiladas you made for dinner. Yummy, yes, but a nightmare to clean up. I eagerly await a high-powered dishwasher.

My first experience with banana bread came from the bright blue Jiffy box. I remember baking muffins with my mother. I was so excited to open the vibrantly colored box and get started. It was amazing to see muffins come out of a box filled with powder. Adding a few ingredients, milk and eggs, made tasty, fluffy muffins. Later in life, I learned all about muffins baked from scratch and I never looked back. I don't want to knock Jiffy. Jiffy along with Jell-o introduced me to cooking. For that, I will always love Jiffy and their unbeatable corn bread mix, which I've never been able to achieve from scratch.


This recipe for banana bread produces a cake with a moist crumb and an intense banana flavor. The cake is not too sweet, a fault I often find with many commercially made banana breads. I mix up the recipe a little, substituting hazelnuts for sunflower seeds or adding raisins. Banana bread is forgiving, so use whatever you have on hand. I used a standard-size loaf pan, but when the pan filled beyond two-thirds full, I got nervous and grabbed a six-cup muffin tin for the overflow. I would rather clean out an extra pan than worry about volcanic banana bread in a hot oven.



Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins/Cake

4 oz (1 stick) butter, softened or at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large ripe bananas, smashed
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup almond flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup soy milk or milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips, bittersweet
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a standard loaf pan and a six cup muffin tin.

Sift together the flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Measure out one cup of soy milk or regular milk. Mash two ripe bananas.

Beat together the sugar and softened butter at medium-slow speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, completely incorporating the eggs. Mix in the smashed bananas until the batter is smooth.

Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk mixture in two parts. Mix until the flour is just moistened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between additons. Avoid overmixing.

Gently fold in chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. Stir in vanilla.

Fill the muffin tin 2/3 full with batter. Add the remaining batter to the loaf pan.

Finish by sprinkling the tops with sunflower seeds.

Bake until lightly golden brown. Muffins for 12-15 minutes. Loaf for 35-45 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Cut the loaf into 1/2 inch thick slices and serve with a steaming cup of coffee or a big scoop of yogurt.

Note: This could easily make eighteen muffins.

Toodlebug,
Michelle