Strawberry Cake Muffins

These muffins remind me a lot of the "Summer-Berry Muffins" that I used to buy all the time from a local cafe. The recipe I used comes from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook by Martha Hall Foose. She calls them cupcakes but I think they are more like muffins since I opted not to frost them. I didn't want to cover up the naturally sweet flavor of the berries - it calls for a whole cup of pureed berries in the batter and the frosting (if you decide to make it) uses an additional 1/2 cup.

The results are gorgeous — tender little cakes with a beautiful rosy hue. Cake flour makes them especially delicate and bakery-shop perfect in texture. I had to take a picture of the pink batter before baking it just because it was so cute.



Strawberry Cake Muffins
Makes 12 | adapted from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed strawberries
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil baking cups.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extracts; set aside.

3.. In an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the buttermilk mixture. Beat for 1 minute at medium speed.

4. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in the strawberries and the orange zest. Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling them two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or when cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in the center. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold the cupcakes and cool on racks.