Where did I go wrong?

I love to bake. I have several tried and tested recipes that I love to use. This year I am trying to perfect those I and add a few more to my collection. I found a recipe a few years ago in a supermarket magazine for some delicious cranberry and ginger muffins. I made them a few times and they were delicious. I felt like a good cook, they tasted, and looked really great. This Christmas I pulled the recipe out again and tried it. They tasted awful - they were dry beyond dry and rock solid. Where had I gone wrong? Not to be beaten I tried again, this time with slightly different ingredients. Surely apricots and ginger would be a lovely combination for a muffin? Unfortunatly I ended up with the driest most unappetising muffin creations on the planet. (Maybe a slight exaggeration - but remember I'm a perfectionist and I love to bake, I'm feeling a little miffed).

Could it have been the apricots?

Or maybe one of the other ingredients? Was my baking powder just a little past it's best?

Was it the way I mixed it? Too much, too little?

Could it have been the silicone mould I used? Could it have stripped the moisure from my little cakes?

Well, whatever it was I feel a little beaten. This pathetic little cake has me beaten. I'm not sure I will ever try that recipe again. I'm going to look out for other tried and tested recipes, I crave a yummy moist muffin that I can say proudly that I made myself.