Cardamom and anise muffins

I love spices and adding them to well-known recipes is one of my favourite hobbies. 🙂 In Spain it’s not very common to use cardamom, most of us have tried it for the first time in curry and that’s it. However, cardamom becomes the master and commander of taste when it is part of a dessert. Today’s recipe is as simple as any muffin, but with an incredible exotic-and-Christmassy flavour thanks to the cardamom and the anise seeds. I have adapted a friend’s recipe and this is my dairy-free version, it is very light, spongy and fuuuuull of flavour. They’re addictive!

Cardamom and anise muffins

• Yields: 8-10 muffins
• Preparation time: 15min
• Cooking time: 20min
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom seeds (you’ll have to open the pods and crush the seeds until ground, make sure you sit down because it takes some time :P)
• 2 teaspoons ground anise seeds
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 130g caster sugar
• 80ml sunflower oil
• 250g soya yogurt
• 75ml cold coffee
• 8-10 pieces of dark chocolate (one per muffin)
• 8-10 muffin tins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 180ºC/350ºF.
2. Mix the flour with the cardamom, anise, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Beat the egg with the sugar until smooth, then add in the oil, yogurt and coffee and beat well. Add in the flour with the rest of the ingredients and mix well until it is creamy.
4. Fill the paper cases with the cake mixture. Place a piece of chocolate inside each muffin tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy!