Stephen discovered wild Black Raspberries over on the new property and I was curious about these as they resemble blackberries. Come to find out Blackberries are bigger and typically more tart, while black raspberries are smaller and sweeter. The black raspberries we picked are sweet, with a tangy and fruity undertone. We will be able to pick them now (mid-summer) into the first frost.
They were first domesticated around the 1830s but have never had the same success as other raspberries because they are hard to grow. Black raspberries are not a hybrid but have been used to make hybrids.
Black Raspberry bushes should be pruned and trained to grow properly for compactness, pleasant appearance, and larger berries. As these are well-established wild plants we will prune them in the spring.
The recipe I used for these muffins is the same batter that I use for all my fruit/berry muffins.
I have baked these up to 400 degrees but find that 385, at least for our oven is the ideal temp. I also like to use some kind of cupcake wrapper just for ease of clean up but you can always use a greased muffin tin.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups black raspberries
In a mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, and buttermilk. In a small bowl whisk eggs and add to the mixing bowl. Then add vanilla. Make sure it is mixed well then add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Lastly, fold in the flour. Do not overwork your batter.
At this point pick your berry or fruit. In this case, I used the berries Hailey and I picked last night when we were over at the garden. After folding these in you can fill the muffin tin. Fill close to the top but they will rise so leave some room. The last step, add a couple of berries just to the top of each muffin.
Bake for 25 minutes. They are done when the top is golden and a toothpick pulls out clean. Lightly butter the top of the muffins while they are cooling. You could also sprinkle a bit of raw sugar on the top for the presentation.
Overall the family enjoyed them. I am already thinking about the next batch we pick and what we can make. I had a lot of suggestions over on Facebook. So many options. What would you do with some wild black raspberries?
