BUTTERMILK BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Imagine the sweet smell of Blueberry Muffins warm from the oven on a lazy weekend morning.  Slathered with melting Butter and loaded with plump sweet Blueberries, these Muffins are moist and full of flavor.  You can make these Muffins even more flavorful by adding Strawberries, Raspberries or Blackberries or a mixture of them all.   The addition of Buttermilk and Sour Cream make these muffins melt in your mouth because you are Cooking The Amazing.

Here is the recipe.

4 c  All Purpose Flour, sifted

1 1/2  t   Baking Soda

1 1/2  t   Baking Powder

1  t   Fine Grain Sea Salt

1/2  t  Cinnamon

1 1/2  Sticks of Butter, unsalted, softened

2  c  Sugar

2  Eggs, large (room temperature)

1 1/2  c  Buttermilk (room temperature)

2  t   Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 t   Almond Extract

1/2  c   Sour Cream (room temperature)

3  c  Blueberries, fresh or frozen thawed

        (about 24 oz. of frozen)

Optional:  1/4  c   Sugar for topping

Optional:  Streusel Crumb Topping:

                      1/2  c  Brown Sugar

                      1/3  c  Flour

                      1/2  stk.  Butter

                      1/8  t   Cinnamon

Total Prep and Cooking Time:  about 50 mins.

*Room temperature ingredients will make these Muffins lighter.

1.  Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.   Prepare large cupcake liners in a muffin pan.  This makes about 24 large muffins.  I use the Jumbo cupcake paper liners (3 1/2" Reynolds Baking Cups with Foil).  Or makes about 30-34 smaller regular sized Muffins. 

2.  Through a fine mesh strainer, sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Cinnamon well into a large bowl.

3. In another bowl, cream the Butter with the 2 c of Sugar for 4 minutes with a handheld mixer.  You need this long of creaming time to dissolve the sugar but it will still be grainy.

4.  Add the Eggs to the creamed Sugar and Butter and mix well for 2 minutes until fluffy.  It will look like Mashed Potatoes.

5.  Add the Buttermilk, Vanilla and Almond Extracts and Sour Cream and mix until just incorporated, about 1 minute.  It may look curdled.

6.  Add all of the sifted Flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix for about 1 minute until incorporated.  Don't over mix.  The batter will be thick.  Scrape down the bottom of the bowl to get any unmixed flour.

7.  Gently fold in the Blueberries using a rubber spatula.  If using frozen, thaw them completely and drain them well first.

8.  Fill the cupcake liners almost full with a large spoon.  Do not overfill or you will have a mess in your oven.  I use an ice cream scoop for even sized muffins.   Sprinkle with Sugar if desired or with Streusel Crumb Topping before baking. 

TIP: To make Streusel Crumb Topping:  Mash together with a fork in a small bowl:  1/2 c  Brown Sugar, 1/3 c Flour, 1/2 stick  Butter, 1/8 t  Cinnamon into pea sized crumbs.

9.  On the center rack, bake at 375 degrees for 28-30 minutes for large jumbo Muffins or 22-25 minutes for regular sized Muffins or until the tops are evenly browned.   Rotate the pan 1/2 through baking for even browning.  Allow to cool in the pan.

10.  Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.

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