October 8, 2017

Vegan Blueberry and Pawpaw Muffins

Blueberry muffins are always a treat- sweet, purple berries, plump and juicy bursts of goodness interrupting what might have otherwise been a more mundane muffin experience. These muffins are brought to the next level, because in the background of the blueberry bursts, a fruity, tropical sunshine warms every bite. Despite how these pawpaw muffins taste tropical, they’re a native crop of the Eastern and Mid-Western America, also known as the Hoosier Banana.

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What is a Pawpaw?

That sunshine is thanks to a special ingredient- the pawpaw. The pawpaw tree is native to North America, originally growing in the eastern and mid-west, and has been cultivated to grow across the entire county. Next time you’re wandering, look more closely at the trees- the broad leaved pawpaw tree easily hides its fruit, which blends seamlessly into the trees green canopy. The fruit start to ripen early in September, when the fruits become softer then the hard rocks growing in August.

The inside of the fruits are yellow, pastel or bright. It is filled with black, shiny, button-like seeds- the seeds and the skin should not be eaten. But the fruit is incredible- it is soft, with a banana-like texture, and a taste that is almost equal to a mango, but with the softer tone. The experience is finished with a smooth hint of caramel. There is no way to eat a pawpaw without wondering how it got here- what wrong turn did it take on its way to the tropics, and how has it been surviving the Northern winters? Although this tropical-tasting fruit seems out of place, it’s more American than apple pie- Native Americans have been credited with spreading the fruit across the county.

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How to Make Vegan Pawpaw Muffins

Pawpaws also serve a role in these muffins beyond being tasty- they actually are serving the role of egg substitute! For those of you new to vegan baking, there are many ingredients that can stand in for the lifting and binding properties of the egg- packed egg replacers, aquafaba, apple sauce, bananas, flax- the list goes on, but to that we can add pawpaw. Mashed up, it can act just like a banana in its egg capacities- about 1/4 cup pawpaw to every egg you want to replace. This recipe uses more pawpaw than it would egg, because we wanted to be sure to get that tropical, caramel flavor coming through strong. Other than that, it’s basically a wet ingredients plus dry ingredients situation. After that, fold in the blueberries. Let the muffins bake for 35 minutes (or more, especially if you’re a little heavy on the fruit) until a toothpick comes out clean.

So go find the nearest pawpaw tree, and mash yourself up these muffins. With less than 10 ingredients total, it’s an easy way to appreciate pawpaws in all their glory.