These Edith Bunker’s Fruit Cocktail Muffins are a charming throwback recipe—soft, tender, and lightly sweet with bursts of fruity flavor in every bite. Made with pantry staples and canned fruit cocktail, they’re perfect for breakfast, coffee breaks, or an old-fashioned bake sale treat.
Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large egg
¾ cup fruit cocktail with juice
⅓ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the oven and pan
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Combine wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the fruit cocktail with its juice, oil or melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Make the batter
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Fold in the nuts if using. Do not overmix; the batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.
Bake the muffins
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and serve
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
✨ Tip: These muffins taste even better the next day—store them in an airtight container for a soft, moist crumb.
