Muffins are a popular baked good that can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack. When properly baked, muffins should have a tender, cake-like crumb with a light domed top. However, sometimes muffins can turn out too moist, with a gummy texture or a fallen center. There are a few key reasons why muffins might end up overly moist.
Using too much liquid
One of the most common causes of muffins being too moist is using too much liquid in the batter. Muffin recipes generally call for about 1 cup of liquid (milk, juice, etc.) for every 2 to 2 1/2 cups of flour. If you use more liquid than the recipe calls for, it can make the muffins dense and soggy. Sticking to the recommended amount of liquid is important for proper muffin texture.
Tips for preventing too much liquid:
- Accurately measure ingredients – don’t estimate
- Use proper measuring cups – glass or metal cups, not oversized coffee mugs
- Mix just until blended – overmixing can develop extra gluten which absorbs more moisture
Using too much fat
While muffins are not as rich as cupcakes or other dessert breads, they do contain a fair amount of fat, usually in the form of oil, butter, or yogurt. Using too much fat can also lead to overly moist muffins. Fats help retain moisture in baked goods. For standard size muffins, most recipes call for about 1/4 to 1/3 cup butter or oil. Going over that amount can make the texture too dense and wet.
Tips for preventing too much fat:
- Use the type and amount of fat called for in the recipe
- If substituting oil for butter, reduce the amount slightly as oil blends into batter more
- Use solid fats like butter or shortening instead of liquid oils
Underbaking
One of the biggest mistakes when baking muffins is pulling them out of the oven too soon. Muffins are fully baked when an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the tops spring back when gently pressed. If underbaked, the centers will still be wet and dense. Be sure to bake muffins for the full time indicated in the recipe. Standard size muffins take 18-22 minutes at 375°F. Mini muffins may take just 10-12 minutes. Checking muffins a few minutes early helps prevent overbaking.
Tips for preventing underbaking:
- Preheat oven fully before baking
- Use oven thermometer to ensure accurate temperature
- Set timer and check muffins at minimum baking time
- Test doneness with toothpick in center muffin
- Let muffins cool 5 minutes before removing from pan
Using too many wet ingredients
The ingredients that go into muffins can also impact moisture levels. Too many wet ingredients like fruit, vegetables, or yogurt can throw off the balance with the dry ingredients. Some moisture-adding ingredients to use sparingly:
- Fresh or frozen fruit – berries, banana, apple
- Vegetables – carrots, zucchini, pumpkin
- Yogurt
- Applesauce or pureed fruit
These ingredients add great flavor and nutrition to muffins but also extra moisture. Adjust the amounts of wet and dry ingredients as needed to prevent gumminess. For example, reduce milk or juice if using juicy fruit.
Tips for wet ingredients:
- Drain and pat fruit to remove excess moisture before mixing in
- Reduce liquid by a couple tablespoons if adding moist ingredients
- Add a couple extra tablespoons of flour to balance out wet ingredients
- Mix in chunks of fruit rather than mixing pureed fruit into batter
Storing muffins improperly
The way freshly baked muffins are stored can also lead to excess moisture. Muffins are best eaten the day they are baked. But if saving leftovers, proper storage is key. Moisture can get trapped inside plastic wrap or bags. This creates a humid environment where muffins lose their crisp crust and become soggy.
Tips for storing muffins:
- Let cool completely before storing, about 1 hour
- Store in paper bag or paper towels in airtight container
- Place wax paper between layers of muffins
- Avoid plastic wrap or bags
- Consume within 2-3 days
- Refresh in 300°F oven for 5 minutes to recrisp
Using too much sugar
Sugar helps baked goods like muffins brown evenly and adds moisture retention. But excessive amounts of sugar can lead to wet, dense muffins. Most standard size muffin recipes call for about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of sugar. Sticking within this range provides enough sweetness without creating too much moisture.
Sugars high in molasses like brown sugar also add extra moisture. When using brown sugar, you may want to reduce any additional liquid slightly.
Tips for preventing too much sugar:
- Use amount of sugar listed in recipe
- Reduce sugar slightly if using additional moist ingredients
- Lightly coat sugar on berries rather than mixing in
- If using brown sugar, reduce milk or juice by 1-2 tbsp
Incorrect flour ratio
Achieving the right flour ratio is imperative for muffins that are tender but not soggy. Too much or too little flour can throw this balance off. Most standard muffin recipes call for about 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour per dozen muffins. All-purpose flour is commonly used but cake flour results in a more delicate, fine crumb.
Using too much flour leads to dry, dense muffins. Too little flour causes muffins to be gummy with a fallen center. Be sure to accurately spoon and level flour when measuring.
Tips for the right flour ratio:
- Use the amount of flour specified in recipe
- Spoon flour into measuring cups and level with knife
- Use proper measuring cups, not drinking glasses or scoops
- Sift flour if recipe specifies to aerate before using
- Mix just until flour is incorporated, avoid overmixing
Incorrect leavener ratio
Leaveners like baking powder or soda give muffins lift as they bake. Too much leavener can over-inflate muffins, causing them to rise excessively and then sink as they cool. Too little leads to dense, squat muffins. Using the proper amount of fresh leavener is key.
Standard muffin recipes call for 2-3 tsp baking powder or 1 tsp baking soda plus an acid like buttermilk. Be sure your baking powder or soda is still fresh and active within the expiration date.
Tips for leavener ratio:
- Use amount of leavener specified in recipe
- Check expiration date of baking powder/soda
- Make sure baking powder or soda is evenly distributed in batter
- Don’t overmix once leaveners are added
- Let batter rest 10-15 min to fully activate leaveners if time allows
Incorrect pan size
Muffin pans come in a range of sizes from mini to jumbo. Using the pan size indicated in a recipe is important. Batter portioned into an incorrectly sized pan can cause uneven baking and texture issues.
For example, if a recipe is designed for a 12-cup standard size pan but you bake it in a 6-cup jumbo pan, it completely changes the baking dynamics. The jumbo muffins are too large and underbake in the same time, remaining gummy. Go with the intended pan size for best results.
Tips for pan size:
- Use exact pan size called for in recipe
- Adjust bake time if using different size – mini muffins bake faster
- Fill cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full for proper rise
- Use liners or grease pans well so muffins eject cleanly
Incorrect oven temperature
Proper oven temperature is essential for muffins to bake up with the right moist yet cakey texture. Muffins bake best at a slightly higher temperature, around 375°F to 400°F. This helps them rise tall and develop a nice domed top.
If the oven runs too cool, muffins will underbake and remain dense and wet in the center. If too hot, the outside can overbake before the inside is done. Use an oven thermometer to check accuracy.
Tips for oven temperature:
- Preheat oven fully, at least 15 minutes
- Use oven thermometer to check temperature
- Adjust temperature or bake time if oven runs hot or cold
- Rotate pan halfway through bake time
- Watch muffins closely near end of bake time
Incorrect resting time
Letting muffins rest before and after baking is an important step that provides time for the batter to absorb ingredients and for carryover cooking to finish. Skipping the rests can lead to deflated wet muffins.
After mixing batter, let it sit at room temperature 10-15 minutes. This allows leaveners to react and flour to fully hydrate. Then let baked muffins cool in pan 5-10 minutes to set crumb before removing.
Tips for resting:
- After mixing, let batter rest 10-15 minutes before baking
- Once baked, let muffins cool in pan 5-10 minutes
- Transfer muffins to wire rack to finish cooling
- Resist urge to eat muffins warm, wait until completely cooled
Incorrect mixing method
The way muffin batter is mixed can also lead to issues with density and moisture if not done properly. Muffins come together quickly with just a few stirs. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour which gives muffins a coarser, denser texture.
Mix wet and dry ingredients gently just until blended and no dry bits of flour remain. The batter should be thick and lump-free while still retaining a few small clumps of flour.
Tips for mixing:
- Whisk wet ingredients to combine, then dry ingredients
- Make well in dry then add wet to dry
- Fold with rubber spatula just until mixed, 10-15 strokes
- Avoid electric mixers which overwork the batter
- Mix just until all dry ingredients are moistened
- Small lumps in batter are ok
Incorrect ingredient temperature
The temperature of batter ingredients impacts the bake. Cold liquids and eggs prevent leaveners from fully reacting. Melted butter or oils can make batter too warm, speeding rising and setting too quickly. Ideal muffin batter temperature is around 75°F.
Bring refrigerated ingredients like milk, eggs, and butter to room temp before baking for the best rise. Warm an overly heated batter before mixing and baking.
Tips for ingredient temperature:
- Allow cold eggs and milk to sit out 30-60 minutes until warmer
- Melt butter then cool until no longer hot
- Warm overly chilled batter by letting sit before mixing
- Cool down warm batter by adding a cold egg
- Aim for 75°F batter temperature
High altitude baking
Factors like high altitude impacts how muffins bake. Higher elevations cause batter to rise faster and cookies to overspread. Adjustments are needed to prevent dense, fallen muffins.
At over 3000 feet, muffins may need extra liquid, less leavener, and shorter bake times. Test a recipe and make adjustments as needed.
High altitude tips:
- Add extra 1-2 tbsp liquid
- Reduce baking powder or soda by 1/4 tsp
- Use cake flour for finer crumb
- Check muffins a few minutes early
- Aim for 375°F oven temp
Conclusion
Muffins are a great quick bread to bake for breakfast or a snack. But troubleshooting can be needed when they turn out overly moist and gummy. By carefully following recipe instructions and properly measuring ingredients, wet dense muffins can be avoided. Adjustments may be necessary for factors like high altitude, oven variances, or ingredient substitutions. With a few simple tweaks and careful baking, tender, bakery-style muffins with just the right amount of moisture can be achieved every time.