Marigold Muffins, or Bumblebee Bread, is a sweet comforting muffin recipe made with fresh marigold petals and a generous amount of honey in the batter.
Developed in partnership with Genuine Skagit Valley’s Farmstand Fresh this edible flower muffin uses Giant African Marigolds from Blackburn Garden farm stand. But these delicious sweet muffins can be made with an array of seasonal blooms.
Marigold recipe
Many people plant marigolds in vegetable gardens because marigolds attract beneficial insects while deterring pests. Typically planting marigolds and tomatoes together because tomatoes are especially prone to pests. But their strong scent is also said to attract so much more than just insects.
Marigold in Spanish is cempasúchil and are very special because marigold flowers are the Day of the Dead flower. Marigold symbolism states that says that the bright orange flowers and their strong scent help to guide spirit home. So marigolds are widely displayed and used to decorate altars to the dead during the annual Dia de los Muertos festival.
Aside from the marigold symbolism and the ways that marigolds help in the garden, there are also marigold benefits as a topical salve for skin conditions. And marigold petals are delicious, nutrient dense edible flowers. There are many marigold varieties in colors from yellow, gold, orange, red and all marigold petals are edible. Just make sure to use only pesticide free flowers when cooking with marigolds.
In this marigold recipe the marigold petals are steeped in warm cream. Then mixed into a hummingbird-cake-inspired batter sweetened with honey and mixed with coconut and mixed nuts.
Ingredients
- Marigold petals – Fresh marigold flowers can be used when available. Or substitute dried marigold flowers in the off season when fresh are unavailable. If marigolds are completely unavailable any other edible flower can be substituted in these floral muffins. Like calendula, nasturtium, roses or any other tender edible flower petal. Although they are both edible flowers marigold and calendula are not the same plant. Calendula is commonly known as pot marigold which is what causes the confusion regarding the two edible plants.
- Half and half – using cream to steep the marigold petals makes for a fluffy yet sturdy muffin because of the proteins in the dairy fat. But you can also use milk or water to steep the petals instead.
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Honey – honey adds a very nice caramelly sweetness and aroma in these edible flower muffins. But maple syrup can be substituted for the honey. Or add brown sugar instead. But keep in mind that for every ¾ cup of honey 1 cup of brown sugar must be used instead.
- Carrots – finely grated
- All purpose flour
- Spices – ground cinnamon, cloves, and all spice add a spicy note to contrast the sweetness of the honey.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Optional – unsweetened coconut flakes and chopped nuts
Step by step instructions
- Warm cream but do not boil. Then stir edible flower petals into the cream and steep marigold cream until completely cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare muffin pan with liners or grease with butter.
- Combine flour with spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- Then in a large bowl cream butter with granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, honey, carrots, chopped nuts and coconut. Then stir in cooled marigold cream and all the soaked marigold petals.
- Slowly stir in flour mixture just until no streaks remain.
- Transfer marigold batter to prepared muffin tins.
- Bake in preheated oven until fluffy and no longer wet in the middle, 25-30 minutes for 8 large muffins, 23-25 minutes for 12 standard size muffins.
- Cool slightly and enjoy!
Yield
This marigold recipe yields 8 large muffins, or 12 standard size muffins. But it can be made as muffins, loaves, snack cake or as a layered cake simply by adjusting the type of pan and cooking time. For example bake 45-60 minutes for a standard size loaf pan.
How to serve
Serve this sweet honey carrot cake slathered with butter, drizzled with honey, and garnished with more marigold petals.
Or for a sweeter honey cake top with cream cheese frosting. Or make a honey glaze whisking 2 tablespoons honey with a splash of cream and 1 cup confectioners’ sugar.
How to store
Cool and store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Or freeze muffins for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh marigold flower petals or ¼ cup dried edible flowers, tightly packed
- ¼ cup half and half
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon all spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup carrots grated
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes optional
- 1 cup hazelnuts chopped
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, or in intervals in the microwave, warm half and half but do not allow to boil. Once warm stir edible flower petals into the cream and steep until marigold cream is completely cool, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare muffin pan with liners or grease with butter.
- Combine flour with spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a large bowl cream butter with granulated sugar until fluffy. Then add eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Stir in honey, carrots, chopped nuts and coconut. Then stir in cooled marigold cream and all the soaked marigold petals.
- Slowly stir in flour mixture just until no streaks remain and transfer marigold batter to prepared muffin tins and bake in preheated oven until fluffy and no longer wet in the middle, 25-30 minutes for 8 large muffins, 23-25 minutes for 12 standard muffins.
Nutrition
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