Homemade Mix for Muffins and Loaves

Homemade Mix for Muffins and Loaves

With this base mix on hand, you'll be able to make a variety of muffins and loaves which are great for packed lunches and snacks. Read on to get the recipe for the base mix plus muffin and loaf recipes that can be made from it.




I got this recipe from Canadian Living years ago. I always had the base mix on hand so I could easily make muffins and loaves for my kids to pack in their lunch.

Base Mix for Muffins and Loaves

5 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

2 ¼ cups natural bran

1 ¾ cup skim milk powder

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp baking powder

Stir everything together in a large bowl. Transfer to airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place. Stir well before using.  Makes about 12 cups.

Muffin recipes from the mix

Banana Muffins

2 ¾ cups Base Mix

1 cup mashed banana (about 3 small)

⅓ cup water

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Measure the Base Mix into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together banana, water, oil, egg and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients. Stir together just until moistened.

Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin cups. 

Bake in 375 oven for about 25 min or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

Makes 10-12 muffins.

Banana chocolate chip muffins: stir 3/4 cup chocolate chips into the Base Mix and continue with recipe.

Orange Date Bran Muffins

These tasty muffins are packed with fibre

1 cup bran cereal

1 ¼ cups water

⅓ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 ¾ cups Base Mix

Grated rind from 1 orange*

¾ cup chopped dates (or prunes)

⅓ cup chopped green pumpkin seeds (or chopped nuts) - optional

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

In bowl, soak cereal in water for about 5 min or until softened. Then whisk in oil, molasses, egg and vanilla.

In large bowl, stir together Base Mix, dates, pumpkin seeds (if using), cinnamon, baking soda and orange rind. Pour cereal mixture over dry ingredients. Stir together just until moistened. Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin cups. 

Bake at 375 F about 25 min or until tops spring back when lightly touched. 

Makes about 10 muffins. 

*Orange-date is a great flavour combo. However, these muffins are tasty even without the grated orange rind so if you don't have an orange or don't feel like grating the rind of one, you can still make these muffins!

Apple Carrot Muffins

2 ¾ cups Base Mix

1 ½ cups grated carrots (about 5 small)*

⅔ cups raisins, or dried cranberries or chopped dates or nuts (optional)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp baking soda

1 cup applesauce

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, stir together Base Mix, carrots, dried fruit or nuts (if using), cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda. Whisk together applesauce, oil, egg and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened.  Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin cups. 

Bake at 375 F about 25 min or until tops spring back when lightly touched. 

Makes about 10 muffins.

*If you have a food processor, you can grate the carrots in no time. I don't have a food processor so I use a plain old box grater. I like the carrots to be finely shredded so I use the side with the smaller shredding 'slots'. And, I usually grate lots of carrots in one go and freeze the extra. 

Loaf recipes from the mix

Zucchini Loaf

3 cups Base Mix

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 cup water

⅓ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups coarsely shredded zucchini

In a large bowl, combine the Base Mix, nuts (if using), sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and cloves.

Whisk together water, oil, eggs, vanilla then stir in zucchini. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry. Stir together just until moistened.

Pour into greased 9x5” loaf pan. Bake in 350 F oven about 45 min to 1 hr or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan about 15 min then turn out on rack, right side up, to finish cooling.

Canuck Loaf

3 cups Base Mix

1 cup frozen blueberries and/or chopped walnuts (optional)

½ tsp baking soda

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup maple syrup

⅓ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

In a large bowl, combine the Base Mix and baking soda. Whisk together applesauce, maple syrup, oil and eggs. Pour over dry ingredients. Sprinkle with blueberries and/or walnuts if using. Stir together just until moistened. Pour into greased 9x5’ loaf pan. Bake in 350 F oven about 45 min to 1 hr or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan about 15 min then turn out on rack, right side up, to finish cooling.

Orange Date Loaf

3 cups Base Mix

½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp coarsely grated orange rind

1 cup orange juice

1 cup chopped dates or dried apricots

⅓ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

In large bowl, combine Base Mix and baking soda. Whisk together orange rind and juice, chopped dates, oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients. Stir together just until moistened. Pour into greased 9x5’ loaf pan. Bake in 350 F oven about 45 min to 1 hr or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan about 15 min then turn out on rack, right side up, to finish cooling.