Aquafaba is the liquid brine that is found inside a can of chickpeas. Often times, people will discard the brine when making a chickpea recipe, but you can strain and reserve the liquid to use as an egg substitute. Depending on the recipe, you can substitute one egg with 3 tablespoons of the chickpea liquid. Using aquafaba is great in items like muffins, blondies and brownies, cupcakes, cakes and mousses.

What is a good substitute for aquafaba?

You can stick to a standard flax egg substitution. For this recipe use 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed (golden flaxseeds will blend in color wise better with the batter) and combine with 6 tbsp of water. Mix and allow to gel for 5 minutes before using.

How do you store aquafaba?

Store leftover aquafaba in a clean airtight container and use within 4-5 days. If you can’t get to it again, you can freeze the aquafaba for up to a month and thaw out when ready to use again.

How do you store these muffins?

To keep them soft and fresh, allow the muffins to cool completely before placing in an airtight container. Leave them at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.

Can you freeze these muffins?

Yes! Allow the muffins to cool completely then place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Place in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to enjoy, remove a muffin from the freezer and allow to thaw in the fridge or place in a toaster oven to warm through for a few minutes.

Can these muffins be made gluten-free?

I have not tested these muffins with gluten-free flour. If attempting with gluten-free flour, I recommend using a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour mix with xantham gum. Do note, they might not rise the same way as the original recipe would. If you try it, please let me know in the comments. It may also help to view this vegan gluten-free lemon poppy seed muffin recipe by Beaming Baker as inspiration for experimenting with oranges in place of lemon.

Vegan Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

Description

These vegan orange poppy seed muffins are bursting with bright orange citrus flavors. They are big, fluffy and easy to make in advance for a fun treat.

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup cane sugar
Zest of one medium orange
6 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
1/4 cup orange juice (about 1/2 a medium orange juiced)
1/4 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk or oat milk
2 tbsp plant-based butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup (295 g) all-purpose flour (if using measuring cups, spoon and level your flour)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp poppy seeds
Coarse sugar to top with (like Sugar in the Raw), optional

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and orange zest. Using your hands, rub the zest into the sugar for a minute to release the oils from the orange peel.
Add the aquafaba and whisk well until the mixture starts to foam around the edges. Then whisk in the orange juice, oil, yogurt, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract, and stir well until evenly mixed and smooth.
Next, stir in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
Add in the flour and poppy seeds, then using a spatula, fold the ingredients together just until the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix!
Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. While waiting, prepare two jumbo muffin tins by greasing or spraying with a little oil or using paper liners.
Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, filling each well about 3/4 of the way full. Top the batter with a small sprinkle of coarse sugar then place in the oven to bake for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the heat of the oven to 350F and continue to bake for 17-20 minutes or until the tops appear golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.

Notes

Rub your zest with sugar. The sugar is rough, which when rubbed with the zest will help break open the cells of the zest and naturally release their oils, which are loaded with that orange essence.

Measure your flour appropriately for best results. I recommend a scale to ensure that you are getting the most accurate flour weight, which will lead to more consistent muffins.

Avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing will cause the muffins to be dense and dry. Just fold the flour into the wet batter until just combined.

Use an initially higher temperature when baking. Backing the muffins at 425F for 5 minutes helps the muffins bake taller, giving you the classic dome shape for our muffins.

You can swap the jumbo muffin tin for a regular muffin tin. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time. This recipe will make 9 jumbo muffins and 12 regular sized muffins. Bake the smaller muffins at 450F for an initial 5 minutes then reduce the heat to 350F and bake for 13-15 minutes.