These muffins make a lovely light lunch or dinner when served with a poached egg and taste perfect with a glass of wine.
By Sarah Schiffman
I had never thought to make a savory upside down dish, in my mind those were always reserved for things like rhubarb and pineapple, but when I was left with a bowl of slanted asparagus slices and just enough supplies to throw together a pan of corn muffins I thought it might be worth a shot. It was. The muffins are savory and just a little sweet with a soft cheesy bite. Pair that with a perfectly tender asparagus bottom turned muffin top and you are in business.
Asparagus Upside Down Corn and Cheddar Muffins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
These muffins are savory and just a little sweet with a soft cheesy bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- Butter for greasing muffin tins
- 2 tablespoons butter, chopped into 12 small pieces
- 1 small bunch of asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal (see picture)
- 1 cup corn flour
- 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a twelve cup muffin tin with butter then place a piece of the chopped butter in each cup. Place asparagus pieces in the bottom of each tin in a single layer. The asparagus should lay mostly flat but don’t worry if there is some overlap between pieces- it doesn’t have look perfect. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the grated cheese and stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and melted butter. Using a spatula, add this mixture to the dry ingredients and gently stir to combine.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tins (on top of the asparagus). The batter should fill just to the top of each tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops look golden brown.
- Let muffins cool for a minute or two, then flip over onto a baking sheet or cooling rack. You might need to run a knife along the muffin cups or tap the bottom of the pan to make sure they all fall out. Replace any asparagus pieces that have fallen out and serve warm.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: American
