How to Convert a Loaf Recipe Into Muffins (and Vice Versa) (2024)

A basic muffin recipe and a quick bread recipe are usually interchangeable as far as the ingredients go. When converting from one to another, the main variables that require a little tweaking are cooking time and temperature. This means that you can covert a favorite quick bread recipe to muffins that will bake in a fraction of the time. Or your treasured muffin recipe can become a loaf with just a couple of minor tweaks.

Converting a Loaf Recipe Into Muffins

Converting a quick bread like banana bread from a loaf into muffins requires a couple of major tweaks: a higher oven temperature and a much shorter cook time.

If you take a quick look at a few muffin recipes, you'll notice most recipes cook at temperatures between 375 F and 425 F. If your quick bread recipe bakes at 350 F for 60 minutes, try baking at 375 F for 30 minutes or even 400 F for 20 minutes. Since you don't have an exact cook time, use the toothpick test starting at 15 minutes and keep a close eye on the muffins. Once the muffins start looking golden brown on top, you should definitely check them with a toothpick. If they aren't quite done, test them again every 5 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean and then remove them from the oven to cool.

Converting From Muffins to a Loaf

The same adjustments (but opposite) will need to be made if you're converting a muffin recipe to a loaf. Muffins take a lot less time to cook and can handle higher temperatures without getting dried out.

Check the temperature of your muffin recipe. If it calls for 375 F, you will want to lower the heat to 350 F. If it calls for 400 F, try lowering it to 375 F.

The cook time will likely double or more, with a standard size loaf pan of quick bread taking at least 45 minutes to cook. The cook time will depend on factors like whether the batter includes wet ingredients like blueberries, how accurate your oven temperature is, and the type of pan you're using. The key here is to test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf. When it comes out with no wet batter attached, it is done.

How to Convert a Loaf Recipe Into Muffins (and Vice Versa) (1)

The Quickness in Quick Bread

Compared to yeast bread, quick bread is really quick. That is because quick breads are made with baking powder and/or baking soda, fast-acting chemical leavening agents that produce carbonated gas when combined with liquid, causing the batter to bubble up and rise. Once you combine the liquid and dry ingredients, you want to get the batter into the pan and in the oven relatively fast, or else the gas will expend itself before the heat of the oven has a chance to set the glutens in the flour.

A loaf is a far less "quick" form of quick bread because loaves take longer to bake. On the other hand, filling 12 muffin cups is considerably more tedious than simply pouring all the batter into a single pan.

Fast and Easy Quick Bread Recipes

Don't Rush

Although it sounds like you need to worry about rushing, think about pancake batter for a minute. The secret to making pancakes (a runnier quick bread) is letting the batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking. That's because you do not want to mix the batter until every last lump is gone because doing so will overwork the glutens and make your pancakes rubbery. Resting the batter allows the lumps of dry flour to dissolve on their own.

Overmixing is also the bane of muffins and quick bread. And when you consider that spooning batter into muffin cups requires dragging a spoon through the batter, which is no different than stirring it, you can understand why it is so important to use the fewest possible strokes when you mix the ingredients.

What about losing the expendable gases as time drags on? Store-bought baking powder is almost always "double acting," which means that it releases an initial burst of gas when it is combined with liquid and then a second burst that is triggered by heat. So, while it is true that a certain amount of carbonated gas will be expended when the wet and dry ingredients come together, resting the batter does not affect the second burst of gas that happens in the oven.

Filling Your Pans

There is a fine art to filling muffin and loaf pans. The key: Grease the pan well and fill the muffin cup or loaf pan about 3/4 of the way full. Don't overfill, since it will take your treats too long to bake and some batter might spill over the edge, making a mess in your oven. Save yourself some time and elbow grease by using paper muffin liners. You can also line your loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.

Helpful Links

  • Easy Quick Bread Recipes for Breakfast and Beyond
  • How to Remove Baked Goods From Pans
  • Doneness Tests: How to Tell if Your Baked Goods Are Done

How to Store Muffins and Quick Breads

How to Convert a Loaf Recipe Into Muffins (and Vice Versa) (2024)

FAQs

Is A muffin the same as bread? ›

Although muffins are considered to be bread, they fall under the quick bread category and utilize baking soda as a leavening agent rather than yeast. The term muffin typically refers to an individual sized quick bread, and can be sweet or savory.

What is the muffin mix method? ›

The purpose of this method is to limit the amount of gluten production during the mixing process, keeping quick breads light and tender. To achieve this, the dry ingredients are combined in one bowl, the wet ingredients are combined in a separate bowl, and then the two mixtures are combined together.

Is it OK to use bread flour for muffins? ›

Because Bread Flour has a higher protein content than All-Purpose, your dough will have more gluten development. In bread recipes, this means your loaf will have a chewier crumb and crispier crust. But muffins, cookies, and pie crusts made with Bread Flour will be a little tougher and chewier.

Do you bake muffins at 350 or 375? ›

There's no question that the standard oven temperature of 350°F gets the job done for baking up muffins and quick breads. But you don't want baked goods that just “get the job done.” No, you deserve better — and for that, you need two temperatures.

What makes a muffin a muffin and not a cake? ›

Cakes and muffins are both baked food products. The difference between cakes and muffins is that a muffin is a form of bread; whereas a cake, which is much sweeter, is not. Cakes are the favorite dessert choice while muffins are served for breakfast. Cakes usually have frosting on them while muffins are never frosted.

Are muffins better for you than bread? ›

English muffins tend to be a little healthier than bread since English muffins have less carbohydrates, fats, and sugar than bread. While bread does contain slightly more fat when compared to English muffins, both options have 1 gram or less of total fat.

Should you cream butter and sugar for muffins? ›

As you whisk butter and sugar into a sublime amalgamation, you set the stage for the following outcomes: 1. Improved Texture: Creaming creates a light and tender crumb by incorporating air, which helps leaven your baked goods naturally during the baking process.

How do you make muffins rise higher? ›

Start the oven on high

Bake your muffins at 400°F for the first 5 minutes, then drop the temperature to the more standard 350°F for the remainder of the bake time. This method sparks the leavening agents (especially baking powder) in the batter to react quicker, creating that gorgeously risen top.

What is the most common fault when using the muffin mixing method? ›

The main challenge of the muffin method is mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients without activating too much gluten. This is especially challenging with traditional muffins which contain relatively little sugar and fat that would help tenderize gluten.

What not to do when baking muffins? ›

Common Muffin Making Mistakes To Avoid
  1. Over mixing the batter.
  2. Overfilling the muffin tray.
  3. Leaving the muffins in the pan after they have baked.
  4. Berries, nuts, and chocolate chips sink to the bottom.
Mar 12, 2019

Do you use granulated or powdered sugar for muffins? ›

Granulated sugar is best for baking and adding sweetness to food and drinks, while powdered sugar is best for making frostings and other confections.

What does sifting flour do for muffins? ›

Why You Should Sift Flour. Putting your flour through a sifter will break up any lumps in the flour, which means you can get a more accurate measurement. Sifted flour is also much lighter and airier than unsifted flour and is easier to mix into other ingredients when making batters and doughs.

What is the most important rule to follow when baking muffins? ›

The number one rule for successful muffins is: Don't over-mix the batter. Use a rubber spatula to quickly fold (gently stir) the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. A few streaks of flour still showing is okay, especially if you plan to add in extra ingredients like fruits and nuts.

Why are my muffins burning on the bottom? ›

You can put 1 teaspoon of rice into your cupcake pan BEFORE putting your cupcake liners , this will ensure a nice baking without burning the bottom of your cupcakes 2.

Is it better to bake or convection bake muffins? ›

Do I bake muffins in Convection or Traditional Bake mode? It depends on how wet the batter is. Because foods cooked in Convection have more moisture retention, I use Convection for most of my cooking; however, when it comes to baking there are times when traditional Bake actually results in a drier crumb.

Why is bread called muffin? ›

The word muffin is thought to come from the Low German muffen, meaning "little cakes". The Oxford English Dictionary also suggests a possible link to Old French moflet, a type of bread. Originally it meant "any of various kinds of bread or cake".

Is a cupcake considered bread? ›

As cupcakes come from cakes, muffins come from bread. More specifically quick bread, a loaf that's made quickly by using a chemical leavening agent like baking powder or soda rather than yeast.

Are muffins healthy? ›

Most store-bought muffins are like glorified cupcakes—they're full of sugar and simple carbs. "They can be packed with added sugar and low in fiber, sending your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster before you even get to work," says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT.

Is an English muffin considered bread? ›

English muffins are a type of small, round bread often served with breakfast. They are usually sliced horizontally, toasted, and paired with butter or other toppings, such as eggs, meat, cheese, fruit, or jam.

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