I used my silicone bakeware for the first time! As promised, I used the muffin pan. It didn’t take long to think of what kind to make– I saw a chance to use up more of the still-abundant lingonberries in our freezer. I found a simple recipe for muffins with fresh cranberries and made a few changes. I added some vanilla and cinnamon and of course substituted lingonberries for cranberries.

I used cupcake liners in the muffin pan. The muffins were so easy to pop out when they were done, and they were nice and evenly baked with crisp tops. I put the pan back in the oven with just a few cups filled to bake a few extra muffins. There were some spots where the lingberries had been against the paper liners and their juices kind of leaked through, and the second bout in the oven turned those spots black. And I couldn’t get them off! I soaked the pan and scrubbed it, and the black spots stayed. I was so bummed, but then I tried scratching them with my fingernail, which did actually get them off. It’s just such a tedious cleaning method. I should probably double up on liners next time.

Oh, and the muffins! I thought they came out really well. I’m glad I used fresh-squeezed orange juice, as they gave a really bright flavor to the muffins. J said they could be sweeter, so next time I might sprinkle some coarse sugar on top for sweetness and texture.

In case anyone is interested, this is the recipe I used, based on something I found on allrecipes.com:

Lingonberry muffins

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. soft butter
1 tbsp. grated orange rind
3/4 c. orange juice
1 egg
splash of vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 3/4 c. lingonberries

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.Cream butter and sugar together in a larger bowl. Add egg and mix well. Add orange juice, orange rind, splash of vanilla and cinnamon and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until just combined. Gently fold in lingonberries. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes.