Apricot-Vanilla Bean Muffins

These delicious apricot muffins are flavored with the seeds of a whole vanilla bean and topped with marzipan.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 347 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 (7 inch) vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
• 3 tablespoons coarse sugar
• 2 ounces marzipan (almond paste)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line cups with paper liners.

Step 2

Beat 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla seeds. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Step 3

Sift 3 cups flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to the batter, mixing just until blended. Fold in apricots.

Step 4

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle each muffin with about 1/4 teaspoon coarse sugar.

Step 5

Blend together marzipan, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 tablespoon butter. Top each muffin with a dab of the mixture.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.