Vegan Vanilla-Mixed Berry Muffins

We have a rule at Flour Bakery that if something is labeled “vegan” it has to be just as delicious to those who are not concerned about the label as to those who are. We created this muffin to satisfy our growing number of customers who have converted to veganism, and it has as many non-vegan fans as vegan ones. In fact, most people don’t believe us when we tell them that it’s vegan. To the nonbelievers the proof is in the recipe. In developing this muffin recipe, we realized that many vegan pastries make up for their lack of dairy and eggs by being super sweet and extra oily. We held back on the sugar and oil to create a scrumptious fluffy muffin that people of all dietary preferences will enjoy.

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  2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  
  


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  2 tsp. baking soda
  
  


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  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


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  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  


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  3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. vegetable oil, such as canola
  
  


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  1-1/3 cups plain soy milk
  
  


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  2 Tbs. distilled white or cider vinegar
  
  


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  1 Tbs. vanilla extract
  
  


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  1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
  
  


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  1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  
  

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the cups of a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or generously oil and flour them.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. of the sugar and stir until well mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, soy milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the middle of the well. Stir with a rubber spatula until well mixed. Add the raspberries and blueberries and mix until the fruit is evenly distributed.

Spoon an equal amount of batter into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 Tbs. sugar.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins are pale gold and the tops spring back when pressed gently in the middle. Let cool in the tin on a wire rack before popping them out. The muffins taste best on the day they are baked, but any uneaten muffins can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. For the best results, refresh them in a 300°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes.