I posted a Rhubarb Apple Pear Pie recipe and got a few comments from readers who were scared of eating rhubarb. Are you scared of eating rhubarb? And why, if I may ask, are you scared of eating it?
Rhubarb leaves are known to contain high concentrations of oxalic acid crystals which can cause serious problems when eaten. Fortunately, rhubarb leaf stalks (petioles), are the ones used as the ingredient in baking pies, tarts, cakes and sauces. I have eaten them for years, and plan to continue eating them. What about you?
Rhubarb Muffins
Preparation time: 15 minutes; Baking time: 15-25 minutes Makes: 12
Ingredients
- 175g (1½ cups, 6oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
- 25g (3 tablespoons, 1oz) vanilla custard powder or cornstarch (UK cornflour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 125g (4½oz, ½ cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 100ml buttermilk (½ scant cup, 3½ fl oz) *scant = not too full
- 125g (½ cup, 1 stick + 1 tablespoon, 8 tablespoons) butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 5ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla essence (extract)
- 225g (½ Ib, 8oz) pink rhubarb, chopped into I cm long pieces (about 1-1½ cup chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-hole, medium, muffin tin (pan) with paper cases or brush with melted butter or oil or spray. I made six muffins in paper cases and six without. I love the way muffins brown on the outside…
- Sift the flour, custard powder and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre.
- In another bowl, whisk together the two eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla essence (extract). Pour the liquid ingredients into the well and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped rhubarb.
- Spoon mixture evenly, into the prepared the muffin tin (pan). Bake 15-25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes, then loosen, carefully, with a flat bladed knife and transfer onto a wire rack to cool.
- For cup measures, spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml American cup.
Points to note:
- Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperature depending on your oven. I baked the muffins at 400°F (200°C) for 22 minutes.
- I baked half in paper cases and half without paper cases. I love muffins without paper cases, they always look so nice and golden brown and tasty.
- Last Updated: July 13, 2019
myfavouritepstime.com
Step By Step Photos
Please remember to assemble all ingredients before you start
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-hole, medium, muffin tin (pan) with paper cases or brush with melted butter or oil or spray. Sift the flour, custard powder and baking powder into a bowl.
Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre.
In another bowl, whisk together the two eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla essence (extract).
Now pour the liquid ingredients into the well
and mix until just combined.
Fold in the chopped rhubarb.
Spoon mixture evenly, into the prepared the muffin tin (pan). I decorated the top with some Rhubarb and sprnkled turbinado sugar). Bake 15-25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. ( I baked 22 minutes.)
Stand for 5 minutes, then loosen, carefully, with a flat bladed knife
and transfer onto a wire rack to cool.
The muffins were soft and fluffy and really nice.
We enjoyed eating them. I had mine with a cup of hot drinking chocolate.
I think I probably ate four (The diary winced and sulked)
Please try them, when the season is right.
myfavouritepastime.com Last Updated: 13 July 2019
My Favourite Pastime 
I’ve grown and eaten rhubarb for years 😋😀 it’s got some oxalis acid in it (which is why it makes your teeth feel a bit fuzzy) but so does spinach. Just don’t eat a spinach curry followed by a rhubarb crumble every day.
Thanks for the tips. Rhubarb is very seasonal here so we don’t eat it too much. Have a great week!
Liz
Liz, what a good idea to use vanilla custard powder! Rhubarb and custard. I shall be trying these soon.
Hi,
Thanks. They tasted really nice. Hope you enjoy them when you make them. Thanks for stopping by.
Liz
It really has been too long again. Ive been having a busy summer, but I so enjoyed spending tonight on my couch browsing recipes again. You really have cooked some beautiful food in the last weeks – love the look of these muffins!!!
HI Afra,
Welcome back. I am so happy to see you after a long absence from the blogg-world. I can only imagine the fun you had during the days you were on your long travels. I am looking forward to hearing great stories and seeing and drooling over great recipes. Thanks so much for the visit, for the multitude of likes, for your friendship and for loving the muffins. I love them too. I ate 4 or was it 5 in one sitting. I am even ashamed to say! Have a lovely weekend and hope to see you many, many more times. Take care!!!
Liz
I’ve only eaten buckwheat, which is related to rhubarb. That’s as close as I’ve gotten to rhubarb. Your cupcakes look amazing and mouth watering! I’ll have to try making them vegan and gluten free for me to eat too 😀
Hi Abby,
I have never eaten buckwheat. I wonder what it tastes like. Rhubarb is tart with a sour taste. I bet buckwheat is not? Thanks for complimenting the cupcakes. They tasted very nice. I would make the recipe over and over again. I wish you best of luck in making them vegan and gluten free and I hope they taste good too. Thanks for your visit. Hope you enjoy the rest of the week! Best regards,
Liz
Hi,
I’m glad that in spite of the baking powder saga the muffins were demolished in seconds. When I made mine, I ate 5 in one sitting. That was one hell of a muffin eating session. Have a lovely week and happy blogging.
Liz
Now I have the perfect excuse to make them again. They were delicious regardless. And soft and fluffy. The perfect muffin recipe really.
Thank you. You’ve made my morning, so I know I shall have a lovely day today! Best wishes!
I’ve still got rhubarb growing in my garden! Your muffins look gorgeous with those rhubarb pieces just sitting atop them!
Oh Lidia,
Thanks for complimenting. Have a lovely week. Best wishes!
Liz
These look lovely, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen rhubarb used in a muffin – usually in crumbles and the like. I also love the idea of using custard powder in the batter, I don’t think I’ve ever come across that before! Is it common? I’ve definitely learned something new today! 🙂
Hi,
I am always trying out new things. Sometimes recipes call for custard powder or cornflour (cornstarch). If you use custard powder you get a deep yellow colour. It’s quite common in baking. Have a lovely week. Thanks for visiting me.
Liz
Luckily I have a TON (possibly slight exaggeration…) of rhubarb frozen from this year’s season. The inclusion of custard powder (gluten-free already!) is genius!! I will so be making a gf version of these. 😀
Hi there,
Thank you for the barrage of likes. My dashboard is dotted blue and yellow and says “Iris”. Good luck with the gluten free version. I hope it turns out as per your expectations. I wish you a lovely week.
Liz
I got so behind with the blogs I follow while I was away over the summer I’ve been catching up with them one at a time, liking and pinning, pinning, pinning on Pinterest. Yesterday I got to your blog!! I’ve got about 10 to go still. But with so many great recipes out there I can’t stop!
Hi again,
I hope you enjoyed your summer. Welcome back. It’s so nice of you to set time to “catch up” and even pin. I can’t remember when I last pinned anything. Life has been so busy for me since schools opened, some things have come to a standstill. Thanks so much all the same. I truly appreciate your effort and kindness. Wish you a happy catching up, pinning and blogging. Best wishes,
Liz
Yummy, i must add this to my things to try. Although I am trying to reduce my wheat in take so i will try them with wheat free flour.
Hi Bev,
I hope you enjoy the muffins when you make them. I wish you a wonderful week.
LIz
They look absolutely gorgeous! LOVE! 🙂
Hi Riddhi,
Thanks. Have a wonderful week.
Liz
Liz, I love rhubarb. I think it is a very underrated ingredient. Very versatile in both savory and sweet applications.
Hi Chad,
I love rhubarb too. The small red stalks are the ones I love best, for pies and cakes. Thanks so much for visiting and wish you a wonderful week, ahead!
Liz
Aaaah I have such a crush on rhubarb! It’s a shame I didn’t take advantage of them while they were still everywhere in season…these are adorable.
Hi Irina,
I have a crush on rhubarb too. Plan to make them the next time they are in season. I wish you a lovely Sunday.
Best wishes,
Liz
G’day Liz and wow, your cupcakes are gorgeous, true!
Love rhubarb and your photo make my mouth water today too!
Cheers! Joanne
Hi Joanne,
Thanks so much for complimenting and for loving the rhubarb and the photo. I really enjoyed eating them. I would make them over and over again. Thanks for the visit and wish you a lovely Sunday!
Liz
You can not eat the rhubarb leaves, they are poisonas!!!! I froze a lot of my home grown rhubarb & Will be making these beauties & I will adapt the recipe a bit too! MMMMM ! Lovely rhubarb muffins, I think you chose the red, forced rhubarb, more sweeter varieaty!
Hi Sophie,
Oh yes. The leaves are not edible as I mentioned on the post, the leaf stalks are. My rhubarb was pleasantly red and sweet. Enjoy the recipe when you make it and thanks so much for visiting. I wish you a lovely Sunday.
Liz
Thank you, sweet Liz! x
Yum! I love how the rhubarb adds a little pop of colour to them – delicious!
Hi Gab,
Thank you. Have a lovely weekend
Liz
Scrumptious Liz 😀 😀 Ralph xox 😀
PS Scrumptious !!!
Hi Ralph,
Thank you. What can I say? I hope all is well for you. I am on you page right now reading a rather (should I say sad or what?) story…Best wishes.
Liz
Thank you so much for your lovely comments as well Liz. We are now members of the Mutual Appreciation Society 😉 xox
Hi Ralph,
LOL count me in. Is it a virtual association? Enjoy your Sunday. Best wishes!
Liz
No. A virtuous association 😉
Happy Sunday to you my friend as well. xox
I hear you Ralph, count me in. I am now going to sleep Best wishes!
Night night 😀
Oh yummy, your baking always looks so perfect 🙂 love the patterned plate
Hi Manty,
Thanks so much for being here twice. I have been swamped but today is a bit relaxing. Have a lovely weekend.
Liz
These look delicious and so tasty! Bookmarking this recipe and will try it out once I get my hands on some rhubarb!
Hi
Nice to hear they look tasty, thank you. Happy bookmarking, my bookmark folder is bulging…it’s almost going to burst (LOL). Wish you a fabulous weekend.
Liz
I froze some rhubarb in the spring that I got from a friends garden. The stalks were huge. Now I’m wondering, if I used it frozen would it cook down enough? What do you think? Much like Paddington Foodie I too prefer rhubarb and strawberries. I’d not thought about combining with apples. You learn something new every day. I wish I was in Australia so we could skip northern winters! What am I saying? I am planning to skip most of our winter this coming year….spending 2 1/2 mo. in Hawaii! Papaya muffins anyone? I wonder how papaya or even pineapple would work? Any ideas? Hope everyone else’s weather is better than our west coast Canadian weather right now – raining, cold and dreary! Good for the forests though. Cheers, and have yourself a great weekend Liz.
Hi Sandy,
It’s always a pleasure to hear from you. I have never tried baking with frozen fruits but if the stalks were huge they have to be chopped up. My stalks were thin and very beautiful. I chose carefully when buying. I think you can use a cup of any dried fruits for the recipe. It will work well. I am so sad to hear you’re gonna be away for 2.5 months. I am going to miss you terribly. Will you still be blogging? or are you taking a complete break? Dried papaya yes, definitely. Fresh, I don’t know. Pineapples should work too, even choco chips etc
Our weather is splendid. I am sorry to hear it’s cold and dreary. The forests are having a ‘hay day’ of course. I’ll probably be sleeping at 3.00am today. I’m trying to clear the backlogged messages etc etc. It was a pleasure chatting to you. Take care and have a fabulous weekend! Thanks so much for always being here! You are phenomenal!!!
Liz
I did chop it up into small pieces before I froze it, but I know when I take it out to thaw it turns into a rather unappetizing look in a bowl. Might try it frozen and see what happens. I suspect it will sog up! Lots of moisture in rhubarb. I will try it with fresh papaya one day when I am in Hawaii. Also pineapple. (Maybe even poi!) LOL I will let you know the results. I may take a break from the regular blogging but I’m thinking I will do one of my travels across the pond. It makes it easy to keep in touch with family and friends and let them know how things are going. In actual fact I will be gone from just before Christmas and returning home at the end of April as we will also go to spend a month in Mexico after Hawaii. Is that fabulous or what? I can hardly wait. I will let you know for sure what happens.
Glad to hear you are still having balmy weather! Enjoy it as much as you can. It does take a fair bit of time catching up doesn’t it? But….I love to network with other bloggers and it’s all so very interesting to read. Best regards.
Omg you are going to be away for so long, but I’m happy for you. I hope you’ll enjoy every moment of your visit to Hawaii and Mexico too. It’s of course, fabulous. I can’t wait for my kids to grow up so I can also travel. I love travelling but right now it’s a bit difficult (and expensive) if you have to carry everyone with you. I am truly enjoying this weather. I hate to imagine that winter is hanging somewhere around the corner. We shall keep in touch through your travels and perhaps Facebook. Meanwhile you are still here for another 2.6 months so keep in touch. Thanks so much Sandy, enjoy your Sunday. Best Regards!
Liz
I like rhubarb but most times I’ve had it, it has been mixed with apples. I guess that’s just the nature of the recipe. These look good.
Have a great weekend.
HI Lignum,
It’s great to see you again. Your photos always flash in my mind. A mixture of rhubarb and apple is great in a pie. I love that too. Have a fantastic weekend!
Liz
These look so good!
And taste good too. Thanks and enjoy your weekend!
Thanks for stopping by and liking my muffin post. Yours look absolutely gorgeous – I will have to attempt these for my boys. I have never made rhubarb for them – but I think they would like it.
Best,
Elaine
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for stopping by too. I spent some time browsing yours just now. You can also substitute the rhubarb, if you like. I hope you enjoy the muffins. I wish you a happy blogging and a fabulous weekend.
LIz
Liz, the muffins look really good with the crusty edges… Oh la la!
I still have no luck with rhubarb, hasn’t found any of them… which is why I’m super curious and heavily drooling over these golden colored babies! L-O-L!
Hi Hari,
Those muffins were very very very tasty. I really enjoyed eating them. I loved those edges too…they looked so nice, crusty and golden.
You can make them and add something else like? like what? dried fruits, some nuts, some desiccated coconut. Just add a cup for this recipe. I think it can work. I have just seen the time in Indonesia is almost 7am. You are an early bird, Hari. Wish you a wonderful saturday.
Liz
You are right. I can substitute the rhubarb with dried fruits and nuts and choco-chips.
😀
Have a wonderful weekend, Liz!
Thank you, Hari. Best Regards!
Would a few small bits of nuts in each make them too heavy? They look very light! Mmmmmmm…….
Virtual hugs,
Judie
Hi Dorrie Anne,
Oh yes. I think small bits of nuts can work. They were very tasty. I enjoyed every morsel. Virtual hugs to you too. I am enjoying a glass of red wine…LOL
Liz
Rhubarb is in season right now in Australia so your recipe has perfect timimg. I adore rhubarb and these muffins look delicious. My latest favourite flavour combination is rhubarb and strawberry so perhaps I’ll make them with that variation.
Hi,
Omg that means you can make the muffins. They are so easy to make, no need to procrastinate! I adore rhubarb too and these muffins were very delicious. I enjoyed them, thoroughly.
Go for it. I love strawberry too. I wish you a happy Saturday and thanks so much for visiting me! Best wishes.
Liz
I even have custard powder in the pantry so perhaps for Sunday brunch tomorrow…..
Haha that’s great to know. Enjoy your Sunday brunch. It’s still Friday here…Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
So delicious! I used 3/4 cup each of rhubarb and strawberries chopped into a small dice. One tray of 12 muffins demolished in seconds. Definitely blog worthy.
Omg I am so very excited that you made them. You should see the huge smile on my face. Thanks so much for trying them out and for liking them. I truly appreciate. I wish you a happy Sunday! Best regards and happy blogging!