Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil a 12-cup muffin pan or line it with unbleached paper liners and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and flour for the topping; set aside.

Step 2

Mix the oil, syrup, soymilk, vinegar, and vanilla in another small bowl. In a separate, larger bowl, place the Sucanat; sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt into the Sucanat. (Sifting isn't absolutely necessary, but it ensures there won't be clumps of flour or salt in the batter.) Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Do not overwork the batter. If the batter seems very stiff, add 1 teaspoon soymilk. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Do not overmix or batter will turn blue. Finish mixing with a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Step 3

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the muffins with the topping mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup blueberries, placing 2 or 3 whole blueberries on top of each muffin.

Step 4

Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pan a half turn to ensure even baking. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

For Blueberry-Oat Bran Muffins

Use 3 cups barley flour and 1 cup oat bran.