Pineapple coconut muffins (12)

These muffins turned out fantastic! Perfectly moist and dense, like a muffin should be! The pineapple and lemon zest adds a tropical flavour and gentle contrast to the sweetness, and the coconut adds a little texture and sweetness. 

175g butter

8 oz (250g) caster sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla sugar

8 oz (250g) plain flour

8 oz (250g) crushed pineapple, drained (just less than a large tin)

5 tbsp pineapple juice (from the crushed pineapple tin)

½ cup (125ml) dessicated coconut

Turn the oven onto 190 degrees C. Use a conventional oven rather than a fan oven if you have a choice, the fan oven tends to dry the sponge out a little. Let the butter reach room temperature, or if taken from the refrigerator, microwave for about 15 seconds until soft but not melted. 

Cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add sugar, eggs, baking powder, vanilla sugar, flour, pineapple, pineapple juice and coconut and mix together until smooth.

Have a 12 hole muffin tin ready and lined with muffin cases. Using two spoons, divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Each muffin case should be almost full if you want them to rise high. 

I filled my cases to about ⅔ and I got 15 smaller muffins. Next time I'll make 12 larger ones instead.