Confections are loved and consumed by everyone. They are sweet and have a special place on occasions like birthday parties and holiday times. Children and all aged people love these confections very much.
There are different varieties of confections. Each one is unique in its flavor and taste. Chocolate confections are the most demanded and a favorite of many people.
Key Takeaways
- A brownie is a dense, chewy, chocolatey dessert, while a muffin is a sweet or savory bread-like baked good.
- Brownies are richer and more decadent than muffins, eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
- Brownies are made with chocolate and have a flat shape, while muffins can be made with various ingredients and have a domed shape.
Brownie vs Muffin
A brownie is a baked, square or rectangular, chocolate dessert, dense, fudgy, and decadently chocolatey. A muffin is a small, round baked good similar to a small cake in texture, and can come in a variety of flavors, from chocolate chip to blueberry to bran.
Brownie is a piece of rectangular or square-shaped confection. Brownies are made by adding chocolate. They are brown due to the addition of chocolate and they got their name from it.
Brownie is fudge-like but it can also be cake-like occasionally. Brownie is made in a tray and cut into small squares or rectangles.
A muffin is a small cupcake-like bread mostly without icing. They are considered healthier than cakes and brownies because of their less sugar content. They can be made extra healthier by adding dried fruits and nuts.
Muffins have a slightly hard texture since the batter used to make it is thicker. The flavor and taste may differ depending on the addition of fruits and nuts to the muffin.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Brownie | Muffin |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Flat confection | Raised bread |
| Color | Brown | Golden but differ based on ingredients added |
| Sugar content | High | Low |
| Country of Origin | America | UK |
| Texture | Moist and fudge-like | Thick |
What is a Brownie?
The chocolatey square pieces you find in a bakery with a heavenly taste are the brownies. Brownies are made using flour, eggs, butter, cocoa powder or chocolate, and sugar. Brownie originated in the US.
It was initially prepared by the chef in Palmer house hotel. The first made brownie contained walnuts and apricots. But, the name was not given at that time to this delicacy.
Brownie got its name only after 1893. But later the recipe along with the name brownie was mentioned in many cookbooks published in the US. Brownies have a glossy upper layer formed of chocolate.
This gives brownies their specific look. Nuts, chocolate chip, cream cheese, or frostings can be found in a brownie. Brownie can be either eaten alone or with ice cream.
Brownie can sometimes be topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, or cocoa powder. They are served in restaurants and coffee shops. They can be easily made at home.
They are one of the baked treats that can be made easily by children. Brownies must be moist, dense, and fudgy in texture. Butter is added to brownies instead of oil. This butter gives them a rich flavor.
Sugar is the crucial ingredient in a brownie. It balances the bitter taste provided by cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder can give a natural chocolate touch to the brownie.The egg gives texture and structure to the brownie.
Salt is essential because it is the ingredient that awakens the flavor of other ingredients. Many chefs prefer to use cocoa powder instead of chocolate because chocolate can over-sweeten the brownie.
What is a Muffin?
Muffin can be of two types. The flatbread type of muffin is initially baked and then cooked on a griddle. Another type is called the quickbread that is baked in small molds.
Flatbreads are British muffins and Quickbread is American. Quickbread resembles cupcakes and is mostly sweet. Flatbreads may be sweet or savory. The British muffins are the oldest.
The British started making the flatbread variety muffins in the 18th century. But, American muffins originated in the 19th century.
Muffins are baked in muffin trays with small depressions. Aluminum foil cups and paper molds are also used. They are available in bakeries, restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores.
Baking soda and baking powder are added to muffins. This helps the muffin to rise during the baking process.
Bran muffin is healthier because it uses more bran than all-purpose flour. Milk is an ingredient in the muffin. Poppyseed muffins are made by adding poppy seeds. Pumpkin, chocolate, lemon, berries, nuts, etc can be added to muffins.
British flatbread muffins are not raised like their American counterparts. They are partially cooked in griddles.
Flatbread can be made savory by adding cornmeal and savory toppings like sausage and eggs. Muffins have been the traditional breakfast food like pancakes in the UK.
British muffins are least known now because of the popularity of the quick bread muffins. But, snacking over flatbread muffins with a warm cup of tea will make a perfect evening tea without a doubt.
Main Differences Between Brownie and Muffin
- Brownies are flat and square or rectangle in shape while quick bread muffins are raised and cupcake-like.
- Brownies are moist and they have a fudgy taste. But, muffins are most dry and little thick. They are sometimes spongy but not very moist
- Brownies must be brown. This is because of the cocoa powder or chocolate added to the brownie batter. While Muffins need not essentially be brown but the chocolate-flavored muffins are brown
- Brownies are rich in sugar. The sugar content of brownies gives them a moist texture and taste but, muffins are comparably less in sugar than brownies
- The top of the brownie is glossy with a thin layer of chocolate but muffins have a crumby raised top.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002364381830344X
- https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO199803042082837.page
Last Updated : 17 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
