Lilly Higgins: Easy marmalade breakfast muffins to brighten up darker winter mornings

Now that winter is closing in, I’m baking more. I think it’s instinctive; the darker evenings evoke a need for hibernation and storing food. I love freezing some of each batch I bake for a rainy day.

There’s something lovely about the blast of warmth every time I open the oven door. The gentle hum and the waft of scones or brown bread baking, better than any scented candle; pure nostalgia, comforting and all enveloping. Seeing scones cooling on a rack, then splitting them open while warm and spreading with salted butter; the first one always has to just have butter, the second can have some blackberry jam dolloped on too. A tray of scones demands a pot of tea, no messing around with teabags.

I love sultanas in scones, especially those on the outer edges. They walk a thin line between being bitter and burnt or just chewy and sweet. I’ll always do a tray of plain and a tray of sultana. I also love cheesy scones, or I sometimes add za’atar, the delicious Middle Eastern wild thyme and sumac mix. Savoury scones are ideal for lunch boxes.

I also love an easy-to-bake muffin. My kids are now getting to the age where they want to bake unassisted (though I am always called in to help with the clean-up). In an effort to avoid filling the house with intricate layer cakes and brownies, we’ve been experimenting with more useful bakes. Scones, soda bread and biscuits for their lunch boxes were all a big hit. They also loved making their own bagels. Next on the list are soft dough pretzels.

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While cupcakes are always popular, I do love an oil-based muffin, as they’re so easy and quick to make. I love these simple breakfast muffins as they freeze well and are ideal for warming on cold mornings for a quick and easy breakfast. I’ve added oats for some slow-release energy, and some marmalade for sweetness and flavour. I sometimes add a handful of dark chocolate chips for chocolate orange muffins. You can also add a few spoons of sunflower seeds or hulled hemp for added protein. I’ve made an apricot version before, too, and it’s also delicious. Just replace the marmalade with apricot jam, and sprinkle some flaked almonds on top before baking. These are light, delicious and a really lovely way to start the day.

Recipe: Easy marmalade breakfast muffins

Lilly’s kitchen tips

1. Use a rubber spatula to mix muffins. The key to a light muffin is not to overmix the batter. A light hand bakes a light muffin.
2. If you don’t have paper muffin cases, just cut baking paper into squares and press into the muffin tray using a glass to help shape it.
3. Double or triple the recipe for these muffins, as they freeze well. It’s always better to fill the oven each time you turn it on so as not to waste electricity.