I'm getting close to (my idea of) muffin heaven with this recipe which after trying a few others I've found to work consistently and well.
One small thing I don't understand is why my muffin tops, which are rising nicely to a delicious crust, are "leaning" or I should say pointing in a direction other than straight up.
It's not a problem since the muffins have good texture, taste, and a home-made look I find appealing, but I cannot explain why they lean.
Any ideas?
Perhaps I'm stating the obvious, but is your oven rack perfectly level? Muffin mix initially has low enough viscosity that it can be influenced by gravity as it gradually rises. Even a small inclination of the tray/rack is likely to cause this.
If you are using a convection oven, the air current, blowing consistently in one direction over the tops of your muffins as they bake, could account for the lean.
Try turning down the fan speed, if you can. Otherwise position the muffins in the oven somewhere where they'll be blown on less, use another oven, or put something else in the oven to block the airflow.
Gravity (as Noldorin), heat gradient in the oven, air movement, improper mixing of rising agent - all these are possible.
if your oven leaks more heat out of the door than anywhere else i would theorize that might have something to do with it. Try turning your muffins.
