Air Fryer Recipe
Raspberry Lemon Drizzle Muffins
A delightful treat that blends the tartness of raspberries with the zesty brightness of lemons, these muffins are simple to prepare using an air fryer.
Ingredients
- 200g self-raising flour
- 150g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 100g unsalted butter, melted
- 125ml milk
- 150g fresh raspberries
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- A pinch of salt
- 150g icing sugar
Method
- Preheat your air fryer to 160°C (320°F).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, caster sugar, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the eggs, melted butter, milk, lemon zest, and juice. Mix until smooth.
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the raspberries with a spatula.
- Line your air fryer basket with muffin cases and spoon the mixture evenly into them, filling about 3/4 full.
- Air fry the muffins in batches if necessary, for about 15–18 minutes until they are golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Once the muffins are cool, drizzle the glaze over each muffin. Leave to set for a few minutes before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
The air fryer’s tight convection sets the muffin tops quickly, limiting raspberry bleeding while evaporating surface moisture for a light crust. Minimal folding keeps gluten development low, so the crumb stays tender; melted butter coats flour particles and helps carry lemon oils from the zest through the batter.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding 6 standard muffin cases with space between them; in a single-drawer model cook in batches rather than crowding, while dual-zone drawers usually run slightly cooler when both sides are on, so add 2–3 minutes and rotate cases halfway if browning is uneven.
Common pitfalls
- Muffins domed but still wet in the centre at 18 minutes? The cases are too full or tightly packed; reduce to 2/3–3/4 full and add 3–5 minutes at 150°C to finish without scorching the tops.
- Purple streaks and collapsed pockets around the fruit? The raspberries were crushed during folding; add them last, use a wide spatula, and fold only 3–4 turns.
- Tops browning before the skewer is clean? The fan is drying the surface too fast; drop to 150°C and loosely tent the basket area with perforated foil, keeping it weighted and clear of the heating element.
- Glaze disappearing into the muffin instead of sitting on top? The muffins are still warm or the icing is too thin; cool fully and add icing sugar until it falls in a slow ribbon from the spoon.
Variations & substitutions
- Frozen raspberries can be used straight from the freezer, but expect a little more moisture and add 1–2 minutes to the cooking time.
- Blueberries can replace raspberries for a milder fruit flavour; they bleed less, so the crumb stays paler and the bake may finish slightly faster.
- Use lime zest and juice instead of lemon for a sharper drizzle; add the juice gradually to the icing as lime can make the glaze looser.
- Swap up to 50g of the flour for ground almonds for a softer, moister crumb, but allow an extra minute or two because almonds hold more fat and moisture.
Storage & reheating
Keep in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature or 4 days chilled, and refresh unglazed muffins in the air fryer at 140°C for 2–3 minutes before adding or re-setting the drizzle.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
