The first in our Easy & Affordable Recipes series
A Little About Me
Hi, I'm Thandeka — baker, mom, and the heart behind Lily of the Valley Patisserie.
This space was born out of love — love for food that feels like a warm hug, love for the quiet ritual of measuring and mixing, and love for sharing recipes that actually work. As a neurodivergent mom, I've learned that the kitchen is one of the places where I feel most like myself. There's a rhythm to baking that makes sense to me, and I've spent years collecting recipes that are tried, trusted, and genuinely delicious.
Lily of the Valley Patisserie isn't just a bakery — it's a place where good food meets real life. And I'm so glad you're here.
Introducing: Easy & Affordable Recipes
This is the first post in a series dedicated to recipes that don't require a fancy pantry or a culinary degree. Just good ingredients, simple steps, and results you'll be proud of.
We're starting with a classic for a reason.
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins at Home
Soft, fluffy, and loaded with melty chocolate — with that gorgeous bakery-style domed top.
📹 [VIDEO COMING SOON] — A mood reel of these muffins being made will be embedded here. Check back soon!
Ingredients
Makes 12 muffins
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ cup white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup double cream plain yoghurt
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C and line or grease your muffin tin.
- Sift dry ingredients — in a medium bowl, sift together 2 cups cake flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar — in a large bowl, mix ¾ cup white sugar and ½ cup melted butter together.
- Add eggs — add 2 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the wet ingredients — pour in ⅓ cup buttermilk, ⅓ cup double cream plain yoghurt, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Whisk well until combined.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing until just combined with no flour visible. Don't overmix!
- Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips gently.
- Fill every other cup of your muffin tin about ¾ full — this is the secret to that beautiful domed top!
- Blast at 200°C for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160°C and bake until done — a skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.
Tips
- Room temperature ingredients make a real difference — don't skip this step.
- No buttermilk? No problem. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to ⅓ cup of milk, let it sit for 5 minutes, and voilà — homemade buttermilk!
- The yoghurt can be substituted with fresh cream or sour cream in the same quantity.
- Don't skip the oil — it's what gives these muffins their tenderness. The butter gives flavour, the oil gives texture. You need both.
- Filling every other cup and blasting the heat at the start encourages that gorgeous bakery-style muffin top. Trust the process! ✨
Made this recipe? I'd love to see it! Tag me and share your bake.
Stay tuned for the next recipe in the Easy & Affordable series — coming soon. 🌿
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