What’s a Muffin Pan?

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A muffin pan is a shallow, six- or twelve-cup muffin pan designed to bake the top of a traditional muffin without the bottom, or stump. This works because the cups in the pan are much shallower than those in the traditional muffin pan. Many people prefer muffin tops to stumps because of the crusty, browned surface that forms as the batter rises to the edge of the muffin cups.

The bottoms, or stumps, of the muffin are much softer and have a similar texture to crunchy muffin crumbs. The stumps lack the golden-brown crunch that the top gets. Some people even throw the stumps away and just eat the tops, so the muffin pan helps prevent waste.

Muffin tops are also more convenient to eat since the stump part usually has a muffin paper on it. It’s also virtually impossible to eat the top and bottom at the same time unless the muffin is small enough or you bite into the middle like it’s a whole apple. To add a spread such as butter or jam to an entire conventional muffin without just putting it on top in a pie, the paper must be removed, then the muffin must be cut with a knife lengthwise down the center.

A muffin pan, however, can produce a muffin top that you can eat just like you would a piece of toast, putting the cream on one side and holding it around the edges. Sure, you could do the same thing with a regular muffin by removing the top, but you’d have to butter the stump separately from the top, and it just doesn’t taste the same. This is probably why many people end up throwing the shackles away!

A muffin pan can be made of non-stick material, stainless steel, or aluminum. Some types are dishwasher safe, and nonstick types of muffins are usually easy to clean. You can add chopped nuts and/or a mixture of oats, butter, and brown sugar to muffin tops before baking to give them even more flavor and a browned appearance. Other uses for a muffin pan include baking large cookies or small buns or rolls.

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