Page 318 - Cupcakes

3. Bake the muffins until they are lightly golden and just spring back when

lightly pressed with your finger, 17 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the
oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife
around the edges of the muffins, lift them up from the bottoms of the cups using
the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips.
Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

Store these muffins, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room
temperature for up to 5 days or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a

cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the muffins overnight in the refrigerator
before serving.

VARIATIONS:
All of these variations use 1 package (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix and make 30
mini muffins.

BACON CHEDDAR MINI CORN MUFFINS:

Slowly cook 1 cup chopped onions in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon
grease until soft and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool and fold this into
the corn muffin mix along with ½ cup sour cream, 1 large egg, ⅓ cup chopped
cooked bacon, and 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese. Mix and bake as
directed.

the Cupcake Doctor says...

You can use whatever fresh hot chile pepper you have on hand. And you can

also use jack cheese instead of Cheddar, if you like.

PIMENTO CHEESE MINI CORN MUFFINS:

Add an undrained 2-ounce jar of diced pimento peppers, 1 cup shredded sharp
Cheddar cheese, ½ cup sour cream, 1 large egg, ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground
black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon dry mustard to the muffin mix. Mix and bake as
directed.