A Court of War and Ruin | Cassian’s Lemon Blueberry Muffins
A Court of Wings and Ruin is my least favorite book in the series so far. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved it, just not quite as much as ACOTAR and ACOMAF. Rhysand is portrayed as an absolute hero which is contrasted against Tamlin being a total monster and it feels slightly overdone. I suppose I’m looking for a bit more complexity in those characters as they play key roles in the series. What I did love is the unpredictability of the story and how it all comes together. Again and again SJM takes the story in a direction I didn’t expect and I loved it. The conclusion had me feeling all the feels. Perhaps that is why the series is so loved, each book can solidly stand on its own and yet together it tells a story filled with intricate details that continue to build and play off each other.
One of my favorite characters in book three is Cassian. The way he needles and taunts Nesta while obviously having great affection and loyalty for her is so fun and, for me, relatable. Within my own little family we tease, jab and insert sarcasm constantly but there is *almost* always an undercurrent of love. This recipe is inspired by the breakfast scene in which Cassian is eating a lemon blueberry muffin and teasing Nesta yet again.
“Cassian: ‘Ready for some flying Nes?’
Nesta: ‘Don’t call me that.’
The wrong thing to say, from the way Cassian’s eyes lit up.”
Also worth mentioning, “The scent of citrus and the sea” in the city of Velaris is mentioned six times in ACOWAR. SIX TIMES! So as they say, if the shoe fits, wear it. Or in this case, if the lemon muffin fits, bake it!
LEmon Blueberry Muffin
Ingredients
½ cup dairy free hard margarine, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flax combined with 5 Tbsp warm water)
1 tsp vanilla
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 ½ cups oat milk, room temperature
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups frozen blueberries *see note
Topping Ingredients
¼ cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 liners. In a large bowl, beat together margarine/butter with ¾ cup of sugar until fluffy. Add the flax eggs and vanilla, beat again.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and zest. In a small bowl, combine the oat milk and lemon juice.
To the large bowl, (with the butter, sugar, egg mixture) add approximately of the combined dry ingredients and of the wet ingredients. Mix/fold together gently with a rubber spatula. Add ½ of the remaining dry and wet ingredients, fold gently. Finally add the last of the wet and dry ingredients. Folding gently. When the ingredients are close but not fully incorporated, add the frozen blueberries, and finish folding together. This muffin batter will be thick, try not to over mix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Divide evenly, the batter will be heaped above the top of the tin.
In a small bowl combine the ¼ cup of granulated sugar and lemon zest for the topping. Sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of the topping on top of each muffin.
Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Without removing the muffin tin, lower the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 20-23 minutes. The muffins are finished baking when the top of the muffins springs back when lightly pressed or an inserted toothpick comes out clean with dry crumbs. Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.
Optional: Toss the frozen blueberries in 1 Tbsp of your flour mixture before adding to the batter to reduce bleeding.
*Best enjoyed the day of. Alternatively, freeze until ready to eat, then bring to room temperature on a plate. Thaw uncovered. If the muffins are covered the crunchy sugar topping turns soggy and no one likes a soggy muffin.
Hi, I’m Beth! I’ve been inhaling books and baking from the time I learned to read…
