Spinach, lemon and apple muffins

Muffins in a beautiful springtime shade of green – another addition to my collection of spinach bakes :). These spinach and lemon muffins are quick to make, wonderfully moist, with chunks of apple and finished with a tangy lemon icing… absolutely delicious! Perfect for a sunny weekend.

Makes 10–11 muffins.

Ingredients for spinach, lemon and apple muffins:

• 250 g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 190 g caster sugar
• 125 ml rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 140 ml sour cream
• 60 g fresh baby spinach
• 2 eggs
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 apples, peeled and diced

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the spinach, oil and sour cream in a blender and blend until smooth and evenly green (a hand blender works just as well). Pour the mixture into a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar and lemon zest, and briefly whisk to combine. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then gently mix until just combined – do not overmix. Fold in the diced apples.

Line a muffin tin with paper cases. Divide the batter between 10 – 11 cases, filling each about three-quarters full.

Bake at 170°C for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Ingredients for the lemon icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix together until smooth using the back of a spoon. If the icing is too thick, add a little more lemon juice; if too runny, add more icing sugar.

Enjoy!