Berry Delicious Muffins & Berry Nutty Bento

The Ninja Baker's Berry Delicious Muffin is moist and dense with berries which tickle the palate with pleasure. A trace of ginger lingers on the tongue. (If a stronger ginger taste is preferred, increase the suggested measurement.) Both the muffin and bento are happy-making ways to slip into any season.

The Ninja Baker's Berry Delicious Muffin recipe is inspired by Julie Richardson's Berry Long Cake with Ginger Crumb and the Quick Blueberry Muffin recipe on the back of the Norpro muffin tin package.

Ingredients: 

For the bento:

  • 2 slices of bread
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • A handful of cranberries
  • A handful of walnuts

For the topping:

  • 2/3 cup Demerara sugar
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ cup diced candied ginger
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

For the muffin:

  • 1½ cups flour
  • ¼ cup cornmeal
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • Generous pinch of salt
  • 1 cup mixed berries, fresh or thawed frozen
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

For the topping:
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl. Place in the freezer while you mix up the muffins.

For the muffin:
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
Add the berries.
Pour in the butter.
Stir in the milk.
Next the eggs and the soupçon of vanilla.

Scoop the muffin batter into mini or regular sized tins lined with cupcake cases. Break the frozen topping and sprinkle atop the muffins.

Bake in a 400 degree oven.
18 minutes for minis, 32 minutes for the regular sized muffins.

For the bento:
With a cookie cutter, cut a teddy bear out of the bread.
Spread with peanut butter.
Place in the bento box and surround with cranberries, walnuts and muffins.