Raspberry Almond Cornmeal Muffins

🥘 Ingredients

• flaxseed meal 2 tbsp
• lemon juice or apple cider vinegar 2 tsp
• soy milk 1 cup
• Cooking spray or coconut oil
• spelt flour 1 ½ cup
• blanched almond flour ¾ cup
• medium-grind cornmeal ½ cup
• baking powder 1 tbsp
• fine sea salt ½ tsp
• ground cinnamon ½ tsp
• freshly grated nutmeg ¼ tsp
• pure maple syrup ½ cup
• melted refined coconut oil or neutral-flavored oil 0.33 cup
• orange zest 1 tbsp
• pure vanilla extract 2 tsp
• pure almond extract ½ tsp
• fresh raspberries 6 oz
• sliced almonds 0.33 cup

1. 1

   Gather: flaxseed meal , lemon juice or apple cider vinegar , soy milk , Cooking spray or coconut oil , spelt flour , blanched almond flour , medium-grind cornmeal , baking powder , fine sea salt , ground cinnamon , freshly grated nutmeg , pure maple syrup , melted refined coconut oil or neutral-flavored oil , orange zest , pure vanilla extract , pure almond extract , fresh raspberries , sliced almonds .
2. 2

   Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC.
3. 3

   In a small bowl, mix together the flaxseed meal with 5 tbsp of warm water. Whisk well, and set aside for 10-15 minutes to thicken. In a measuring cup or small bowl, prepare the buttermilk: stir the lemon juice into the milk and set aside to curdle for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. 4

   For the best texture, grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin very well with cooking spray or coconut oil; or, line the tins with muffin liners (see Note 2).
5. 5

   In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: spelt flour, almond flour, and cornmeal, whisking to break up any small clumps. Add the baking powder, salt, and spices, and whisk again.
6. 6

   In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: the prepared buttermilk and flax eggs, maple syrup, oil, orange zest, vanilla, and almond extract.
7. 7

   Add the dry ingredients to the wet, using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir until almost combined. Avoid overmixing, as it will over-develop gluten, making the muffins tough. Do not mix in the berries at this point.
8. 8

   Drop a heaping tablespoonful of the batter into the bottom of each muffin cup.
9. 9

   Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the raspberries into the remaining batter in the bowl (this prevents a soggy bottom).
10. 10

    Divide the remaining batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling almost up to the top (this yields a bountiful muffin top). Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of each muffin (if using) and lightly press them into the batter.
11. 11

    Add the muffins to the preheated oven and bake for 6 minutes , or until the muffins have risen nicely. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 350ºF / 175ºC. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (crumbs on the toothpick are okay).
12. 12

    Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for 15-30 minutes . Gently rotate the muffins to remove them from the cups, or use a small offset spatula or butter knife to loosen them.