Blueberry, Chia and Olive Oil Cakes

When spring lures us with its sweet promise of long, sun-drenched days, but instead delivers endless weeks of gray skies and relentless rain, I find myself itching to get in the kitchen, turn the oven on and whip up a quick, yet satisfactory fix to perk up my mood.

These muffins are my ideal solution to the wet and blistery day ahead of me, a perfect mixture of moist, diary free cake enhanced by precious blueberries and chia seeds, my go-to health boosters. You can use gluten free flour if you are so inclined and reduce the, already low, quantity of sugar of swap it altogether with honey or other natural sweeteners, although I wouldn’t recommend stevia or natvia as they can leave a strange aftertaste. Over to you and your need to lift up your mood!

INGREDIENTS, makes 12 regular sized muffins of 6 Jumbo ones

3 eggs

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, paste or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean

1/2 cup almond milk

2-1/4 cup of  self-raising flour

1/2 cup of blueberries

chia seeds to sprinkle on top

HOW TO

1. Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F)

2. Line a medium sized muffin tin with wrappers

3. Beat the eggs with sugar for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy and the sugar crystals have dissolved

4. Add oil, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well.

5. Add the almond milk and gradually incorporate the flour, beating gently, until a wet batter is formed. Add the blueberries and fold them in gently

6. Pour the batter into the muffin tin making sure not to fill to the rim as the cakes with grow a lot whilst baking. Top each cake with chia seeds

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through if tested with a skewer

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9 Comments Add yours

  1. Francesca says:

    They look fabulous Silvia, could you replace the almond milk with maybe greek yoghurt?
    Grazie.
    Francesca

  2. pblevitt says:

    Sylvia, I often combine olive oil and almond milk in my baking, thanks for such a wonderful recipe.

  3. Paul says:

    Welcome back, I have lost a lot of weight waiting for my next feed. Looking forward to devouring the muffins. Olive picking well underway here in Abruzzo, looks like a good harvest, sunny today. I am still awaiting your promised Pizza dough recipe.
    Ciao Paul

  4. The muffins look fabulous! My Honey and I are tired of the same routine breakfasts and these certainly would make a nice change. I’m now in the process of trying out a bake style oatmeal. We would freeze it in portions then heat it up in the morning and serve with fruit.

    1. That sounds like a perfect idea!

  5. Luke Haywood says:

    That looks super delicious!

    Blueberry always tastes amazing. I love how you added the Chia seeds. That’s such an amazing idea!

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