Ginger Honey Muffins with Apricots, Toasted Coconut and Slivered Almonds

I made a version of these muffins a while back, but they were missing something, so yesterday I tried again, and added toasted coconut and almonds.  Much better this time!

Ginger Honey Muffins with Apricots, Coconut and Almonds
Makes 12 large muffins

1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 cups cake flour
2 T. powdered ginger
2 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup honey mixed with 1 1/4 c. buttermilk
crunchy turbinado sugar for the tops

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 12 muffin pan with butter or Pam.

Get all of your ingredients out first.  That's when I usually find out that I am missing something and have to innovate or go to the store. 

The first time I made the recipe my apricots were shriveled up as hard as rocks, so I re-hydrated them by simmering them in apple juice.  Then, cooled them and chopped them up into bite-size pieces, the size of chocolate chips.

Toast your coconut and slivered almonds -- carefully --- just until they begin to brown and release their flavor.  Let cool.

Melt your butter in the microwave and let it cool.

When the butter is cool, mix it with the eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:  flour, salt, baking powder and soda, dried ginger.

If your apricots are wet, put them in with the dry ingredients and toss them to coat with flour.  This will help to more evenly distribute them throughout your batter.

Put the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients.  Add the coconut and almonds on top of them.

Gently mix them together until about half combined.

Pour the honey buttermilk mixture on top, then mix together until just combined.

Divide evenly into the muffin pan, using a 1/3 cup measuring cup.  Sprinkle with lots of the turbinado sugar on top, since this is not a sweet muffin batter.  Plus the sugar will add crunch, and nice color.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Then, remove from tin and serve.

These are not overly sweet muffins.  The ginger makes them a little spicy and the fruit and nuts give them texture.  If you want a more traditional muffin, you could use regular flour and increase the honey or add some sugar to the batter when you add the buttermilk.  But I like muffins this way --not too sweet.  They are great with a cup of coffee!