Kiss Me, I'm an Irish Soda Bread Muffin!

Yes, I know more Irish Soda bread...but sometimes you have to try different recipes, have you made your soda bread yet? NO? Well how about a muffin instead?

I found this on the King Arthur Flour Website:

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

1- 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1- 1/2 cups currants (first choice) or raisins
1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, to taste (I didn't use)
1 large egg (I used two egg whites to cut the fat)
1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream
6 Tablespoons butter, melted; or 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used smart balance 50/50 blend)
sparkling white sugar, for topping

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.

2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk (or equivalent) and melted butter (or equivalent).

4) Quickly and gently combine the dry and wet ingredients; honestly, this won't take more than a few stirs with a bowl scraper or large spoon. As soon as everything is evenly moistened, quit; further stirring will cause the muffins to be tough.

5) Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full; the stiff batter will look mounded in the cups.

6) Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Tip the muffins in the pan, so their bottom don't get soggy. Remove them from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam

Side note: I've been off from work this week for I've been back and forth from the hospital for my mother had a heart attack last weekend. She was in ICU for the first 4 days and now we are hoping today for her to be discharged, one week later. It was very scary there for awhile and quite a reality check for many of us! She is 64 years old and a wow moment washed over us when we realized that her own father died of a massive heart attack at age 64. Someone up there said...it wasn't her time yet. So in honor of my mom....I certainly will do my best to add side notes in my recipes how to cut the fat, cholesterol and/or salt. I love you Mom, we are glad you are on the mend....sorry, I won't be adding many fish recipes on here (her Dr. wrote on her discharge orders to eat fish 4X a day....we said "WHAT?"....he said 'oops, I meant a 'week'). Well I am glad mom enjoys fish...that would be a problem for me...ick!