Strawberry Muffins

I can see the signs of a new season everywhere, from my mother's blooming jasmines to the ever-lengthening days. Spring is here and I welcome it with arms wide open, especially now that strawberries have arrived! Well, at least in Southern California for now. Local strawberry stands are popping up all over town eager to sell their bright and juicy delights, and I couldn't be happier. I have quite a few ideas as to how I want to use these berries during their season, and I thought these muffins would be the perfect place to start. I debated on whether or not I should have added a frosting to these and treated them like a cupcake, but I really wanted the sweetness of the strawberries to shine through. So here you have it, a delicious muffin that is jam-packed with Spring's finest.

This recipe is actually an adaptation from Izy's book, Top With Cinnamon. I doubt there is a food lover out there who doesn't know about her amazing blog. She is a very talented lady, whose site is filled with inspiring recipes and beautiful photography. I was quite happy to get my hands on her book, and when I did I happily made her dutch apple cake, which was SO satisfying. I used this as the foundation for my muffin recipe and only made a few changes, the most notable of which being the addition of lemon zest and the use of fresh strawberries for apples.

These muffins are moist and balanced with just the right amount of sweetness; but most importantly they are surprisingly easy to make. Time has been of the essence for me lately, so these muffins are perfect for those looking to produce a batch of baked goodies in little to no time. And besides, who could reject a classic seasonal fruit muffin recipe that's an absolute breeze to make?

Yields 12

1 Stick Unsalted Butter

1/2 Cup Evaporated Cane Sugar, plus a bit extra for sprinkling

1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

2 Large Egg

2 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

3/4 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Cup Diced Strawberries

Equipment: Standing/hand held mixer, 1, 12 cup cupcake pan, parchment paper, and a pastry brush.

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 350 F° and position rack in the center. Lightly grease each of the cups with butter and lightly dust with flour, taping out the excess.

In a large bowl beatbutter and both sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add in baking powder, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest.

Mix in half of the flour, followed by half of the milk, then in two more additions mix in remaining flour and milk. Once just combined, fold in diced strawberries.

Dived batter evenly amongst the 12 molds, and sprinkle a bit of sugar over the top of each muffin. Place tray in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the a tooth pick comes out clean when inserted into the center.

Allow muffins to fully cool in the pan, before serving.

Enjoy!