Vegan Orange and Cranberry Spiced Muffins

These moist cafe style muffins are instensely orange flavoured, so if you don't like orange, don't make these! The cooked orange is the secret to this, using orange juice by itself, or just zest doesn't give the same nice deep flavour. They are perfect for a winter's afternoon, and best eaten when still warm with a good cup of tea (I make the muffins, Murray makes the tea). I made these in the Bakers Secret loose bottom mini cake pan the Beloved got me for Christmas, which makes 12 x 110g  muffins. You can still make them in ordinary muffin tins.

Ingredients
2 cups soymilk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups plain flour
2 oranges
1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Method

In a medium saucepan, put in oranges and fill with water until it just covers the fruit. Bring to the boil on the stove, and then reduce heat to a simmer, cooking for an hour. Regularly check the water and top up if necessary. Take off heat and allow to cool completely. Tip: If you do this the night before, or while doing something else, they will be ready to go when you start the next day. They will keep for a couple of days in the fridge in a sealed container.

Prehat the oven to 180C

In a large bowl, whisk soymilk and apple cider vinegar together, and leave aside for a few minutes.

Puree the oranges whole - don't remove skin or seeds, just blend the whole lot.

The soymilk should have thickened from the vinegar to a sauce consistency. Add the orange, and oil, and whisk again.

Sift flour and sugar with baking soda and powder, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix into wet ingredients.

Fold in oats, cranberries, and walnuts.

Spoon into greased tins and bake for approximatlely 30 minutes.

If desired, drizzle top with melted dark chocolate.