Strawberry Lemon Muffins

Someone please tell me that when you see or think of strawberries you also think of Strawberry Shortcake. No, not the awesome dessert with a pile of whip cream on a spongy cake, but the toy. I am ashamed to admit it, but almost  EVERY  time have a big o'l strawberry up in my face I think of that red head little freckled face doll with the stinky strawberry hair, and that the Strawberry Shortcake "la la la" song starts spinning in my head. Mind you, I loved that toy. I wanted to dance and sing like "Ms. Straw-la la" and wear a big hat on my head with a berry on it. I also really wanted to eat all of these strawberry muffins...seriously sometimes things just don't go your way.

Let's get this party started. We had some extra berries and what better way to use them up than making muffins. Strawberries meets whole wheat flour, lemon zest and some buttermilk. Muffin town here we come!

Sugar and berries prior to mashing, added lemon zest and some lemon juice just to brighten things up.

I left some pretty large pieces of the berries to give the muffins some big, bold strawberry flavor.

Strawberry Lemon Muffins

Adapted slightly from Martha Stewart

Makes about 12 large muffins

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups of sliced strawberries

zest if one lemon + about 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup plus about 1 tablespoon sugar

1 and 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup low fat buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Toss the sliced strawberries and 1/3 cup of the sugar together with the lemon zest and juice. Using a potato masher or large fork, lightly mash the berries and then set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. In another bowl combine the buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla; whisk to combine.

3 Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the wet ingredients and the berry mixture (with all the juice) into the flour. Fold until the batter is just combined. Divide among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining sugar. 

4. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted of the muffin comes out clean. About 17 to 20 minutes depending on your oven. Cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Enjoy and channel your inner Strawberry Shortcake Doll.