Monday mornings.  The bleakest point of the week.  Another lovely weekend over, five long days till the next one starts.  And yet I usually trot into work with a smile on my face.  How do I do it?  With the Monday morning muffin!  I’ve started making big batches of muffins, freezing them, and defrosting one or two on Sunday night so I can have a Monday morning treat breakfast warmed up in the oven.  At the moment I’ve got cranberry and poppy seed, chocolate hazlenut, banana bran and these raspberry delights in the freezer, waiting to brighten up my week.

Raspberry Rise & Shine Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients:

340g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

200g sugar

2 eggs

120g plain yoghurt

120g milk

80ml sunflower oil

130g raspberries, fresh or frozen

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 190C and line a muffin tray with paper cases.

2.  Combine the flour,  baking powder, bicarb and sugar in a large bowl.

3.  In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, yoghurt, milk and oil.

4.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and mix well until combined.

5.  Gently add the raspberries and fold them in – I used frozen ones to try and retain the chunks of fruit, but it’s quite nice when they squish and leave trails of red through the mix.

6.  Spoon into the prepared cases, filling them generously.

7.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden.

8.  Cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.