Calamansi Muffins

Filipino food blogs don't seem to get enough of calamansi muffins because I keep reading about them. I tried to bake following the recipes available on several websites but I was not happy with the cakes. The dry-ish muffins lacked flavor and they were too sweet for my taste. I also didn't like that it's almost like chiffon cake. There's nothing wrong with soft fluffy cakes but I prefer moist and dense muffins. 

I made another batch adapting a recipe for a simple yellow cake. I thickened the milk by mixing it with the citrus juice before starting the baking process. The result, IMHO, is a moist dense cake with a more pronounced calamansi flavor. I topped the muffins with a squirt of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a piece of candied calamansi.

Calamansi Muffins
makes 12 muffins

muffins
4 tablespoons calamansi juice (more if you prefer more tartness) 
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup room temperature unsalted butter
6 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs

optional garnish
lightly sweetened whipped heavy cream
candied calamansi

• Preheat oven to 350°F. 
• Line muffin pan cups with paper liners. 
• Mix together calamansi juice and milk; set aside.
•  In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
•  In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter and sugar until light in consistency and color, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• On low speed, add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture into the butter mixture. Increase speed to medium-low and continue beating until well combined. Do not overbeat.
• Divide batter into prepared cups and bake for 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely. Garnish, if desired.

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Calamansi is a variety of citrus from the Philippines. The tiny sour fruits have a distinct flavor which is great for both savory and sweet stuff. The tropical trees grow on the ground in California and Florida. Here in Virginia I can only plant it in a large container and bring it indoors during the winter.