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Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

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Deliciously light and fluffy muffins with tasty roasted rhubarb and finished with a crumble topping. These Rhubarb Crumble Muffins are a new way to enjoy a popular dessert. 

What is rhubarb and when is it available?

Rhubarb is a leafy green plant with pink stalks. The leaves are inedible as they are poisonous and it is the stalks that are eaten. Technically it is a vegetable but it is largely considered a fruit because it is usually used in desserts and cooked with sugar.

You can grow and buy forced or unforced rhubarb. Forced rhubarb is grown in the dark which promotes the plant to produce lighter pink, sweeter stalks.

Forced rhubarb is in season first, usually around mid January until March. This is popularly grown in Yorkshire in the UK and is well known for it’s fantastic bright pink colour.

Rhubarb that isn’t forced comes into season in March until September. This is the rhubarb that I tend to use because my parents and Mr Curly’s Nan both grow it.

The stems are a mix of green and pink so don’t have the same vibrancy. It can also be a little more tart but it is always delicious when I have used it.

What are rhubarb crumble muffins?

Who doesn’t love a Rhubarb Crumble?! It is probably what most people think of when they think of rhubarb. It is a British classic that is so comforting and delicious.

So why not make it into a muffin? These Rhubarb Crumble Muffins are a fluffy muffin topped with roasted rhubarb and then sprinkled with crumble.

Why roast the rhubarb?

Roasting rhubarb is a great way of using it in baking. Adding raw rhubarb to a cake could mean the liquid from the rhubarb seep into the cake. This excess juice could make the cake soggy – not ideal!

I decided to add the roasted rhubarb to the top of the muffins instead of mixing it through the batter. If you wanted to, you could ripple it through the muffin mix.

My only reason not to do this was I didn’t want it’s flavour to be lost. By adding it to the top of the muffin and then adding the crumble on top, you also don’t loose the lovely pink colour.

What to do with excess rhubarb

If you find yourself with more rhubarb than you can use, I recommend freezing it. I get given so much rhubarb each year I can’t constantly be making crumbles and cakes!

Instead I wash it and trim it into similar sized pieces and freeze it. I’ve done this for a number of years now and it always turns out great. It is up to you whether you want to defrost it or not, you could just add it straight to the baking tray for roasting.

I love freezing rhubarb because it means I have a supply year round and can enjoy it when it isn’t in season anymore. You also don’t want rhubarb to go to waste so it is a great way to save it for later.

Rhubarb Crumble Muffins are simple and delicious

What I love about these muffins, and muffins in general is how simple they are to make. You don’t need a mixer or anything fancy to make muffins, a bowl and a spoon is perfect.

In fact the less you mix muffins, the better. You want to mix them until there is no dry patches of flour and then stop. If you overmix the muffins they risk loosing their fluffiness.

You also don’t need any fancy equipment to make the crumble. Rubbing the butter, flour and sugar between your fingers is the method I prefer to use.

How long will these muffins last for?

Although muffins are delicious, they don’t tend to stay fresh for very long. I always think that they are best eaten on the day they are baked or the next day.

After this, they do start to become slightly more dry. If you don’t think you will eat them all in a couple of days I would recommend freezing them.

How to freeze these Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

These muffins freeze really well. I like to wrap them individually so you can get them out as and when you want to eat them.

I wrap them in cling film (haven’t found a better alternative yet!) and put them into a bag. They can then be frozen for up to three months.

When you want to eat them, take out however many you want and leave them at room temperature to defrost for a couple of hours. Then you will have fresh muffins ready to eat.

How to serve these muffins

These Rhubarb Crumble Muffins make the perfect afternoon snack with a nice cup of tea or coffee. However they also make a delicious on-the-go breakfast too.

They can also easily be turned into a dessert. They would be really nice warmed through and served with custard.

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5 from 19 votes
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Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

Deliciously light and fluffy muffins with tasty roasted rhubarb and finished with a crumble topping. These Rhubarb Crumble Muffins are a new way to enjoy a popular dessert. 

Course Muffin
Cuisine British
Keyword Muffins, Rhubarb Crumble
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 299 kcal
Author Curly

Ingredients

For the roasted rhubarb

  • 400 g rhubarb
  • 50 g caster sugar

For the muffins

  • 350 g plain flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 150 g caster sugar
  • 320 g non fat yogurt
  • 60 ml sunflower oil
  • 1 egg

For the crumble topping

  • 70 g self raising flour
  • 45 g margarine
  • 25 g light brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan, 200ºC non fan). Wash the rhubarb and cut into pieces roughly 3cm long

  2. Add to a baking tray and sprinkle with the sugar. Toss to coat the rhubarb in the sugar and cover with foil. Roast for 20 minutes 

  3. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and roast for a further 5 minutes

  4. Drain the roasted rhubarb in a sieve over a bowl while you make the muffin batter. Leave the oven on 

  5. Line a muffin tin with paper liners 

  6. Add the flour, baking powder and caster sugar to a large bowl 

  7. In a jug, whisk together the yogurt, vegetable oil and egg 

  8. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together just until all of the flour is mixed in – do not over mix. Set to one side 

  9. In another bowl make the crumble by rubbing the margarine and flour together with your fingertips to get a breadcrumb texture. Add in the sugar and lightly mix with your fingers 

  10. Divide the muffin mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cases 

  11. Add approximately one tablespoon of the drained roasted rhubarb to the top of each muffin

  12. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly on top of each muffin 

  13. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is given as a guide only.

Nutrition Facts
Rhubarb Crumble Muffins
Amount Per Serving
Calories 299 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 65mg3%
Potassium 332mg9%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 21g23%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 190IU4%
Vitamin C 2.9mg4%
Calcium 146mg15%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Jacqueline Bellefontaine says

    5 stars
    These look really good Cat I love rhubarb and have a prolific rhubarb patch which also gives me some more at the end of the summer. I certainly fancy trying these as always looking for new recipes to try

    Reply

  3. Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says

    5 stars
    Oh God these look really good! I like the idea of roasted rhubarb and crumble topping, I bet the flavour is there and with its sweet tartness makes these simply irresistible! I’m quite jealous about your rhubarb supply cause I need to buy mine lol. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe with #BakingCrumbs 🙂 x

    Reply

    • Curly says

      Thanks Jo. Haha I’ll send some to you in the post! I’ve got more than I know what to do with! x

      Reply

  7. Choclette says

    5 stars
    Rhubarb cakes are one of my favourites. Your muffins look delicious and I bet they are too. And who needs icing when you can have a crumble topping?

    Reply

    • Curly says

      I didn’t think of that! Mind you I do make my own rhubarb gin so I am getting it with my gin still! I do like it drizzled on top of vanilla ice cream.

      Reply

  12. Esha says

    5 stars
    Love rhubarb this time around. These muffins look spectacular. Love that it has crumble on top. I could eat a few at once.

    Reply

  13. Jenny Walters says

    5 stars
    I have not roasted rhubarb before but it sounds genius. I do a rhubarb crumble cake on the blog and it sends me to heaven! I think it is a fabulous combo especially as the rhubarb has that sour back note abd the crumble is so sweet. I love the idea of doing it as a muffin. No fuss but maximum flavour. Thank you so much for sharing with #BakingCrumbs

    Reply

    • Curly says

      I really like roasting it first. It sounds delicious! I’m lazy and wanted to make a muffin so I didn’t have to get my mixer dirty haha.

      Reply

  14. Janice says

    5 stars
    Yay! it’s all about the rhubarb at this time of year. I’ve just made some rhubarb muffin’s myself, I love the idea of the crumble though, great recipe.

    Reply

  16. Kate says

    5 stars
    Gave these a go after finally getting my hands on some rhubarb and they were absolutely delicious!! A must for anyone who is a fan of rhubarb!

    Reply

    • Curly says

      Hi Barbara, yes you can. Make sure they are wrapped thoroughly. Defrost them outside of the fridge for 2-3 hours.

      Reply

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