In an effort to use up the last of the strawberries we picked, I decided to make some strawberry muffins. I usually don't bake with strawberries, as I prefer them fresh, but I made some scones the other day that were pretty tasty (recipe and pictures coming in my next post, I promise!) so I figured I'd try something else baked with strawberries while we had them. Some strawberry lemon muffins had been suggested to me, so I started there. That recipe had strawberries in the batter, but I decided I wanted some sort of strawberry surprise in the middle of the muffins too. All the recipes I found online were for plain muffins with strawberry jam inside. Not quite what I wanted. I wanted strawberries in the batter AND a strawberry jam inside. But that's not all. I figured it was go big or go home time with strawberry muffin baking and I needed some cream cheese as part of the surprise inside too. I make a pumpkin muffin recipe with sweetened cream cheese in them that we all love, so I consulted that one for further ideas. Finally, after looking at several recipes online for all these different types of muffins, I made up my very own recipe to combine the best of the best. I flirted with the idea of going totally over the top with a lemon glaze (glad I didn't - wouldn't have matched well and would have been too sweet) or a streusel topping (again, glad I didn't - would have made these ridiculously messy and it would have been far too much going on), but stopped with the several components I was already committed to.
Well, the recipe didn't fail in flavor. Not at all. Phew. At least I can say I succeed in that department! Looks, on the other hand, were lacking. There were many contributing factors to my messy muffins, and now I will (hopefully) know how to tidy them up a bit for next time. Let's take note of the things I must remember. I made too much jam filling and didn't want to waste it, so I used too much per muffin. Contributing factor #1 to the ugly. I forgot to put some muffin liners to contain the inevitable spill over with this type of muffin (I never use them, but they would help here A LOT, I think). Contributing factor #2 to the ugly. I filled the muffin tins too much for the bottom half of the muffins. Contributing factor #3 to the ugly. I didn't keep the surprise fillings centered in each muffin when I spooned them in. Contributing factor #4 to the ugly. I didn't dice my strawberries small enough for the batter. Contributing factor #5 to the ugly. I ran short of batter for the top half of the muffins. Contributing factor #6 to the ugly.
So, don't make my mistakes. Or do. It really won't matter when you are eating one of these warm from the oven. Trust me. They are good enough to make the ugly disappear.
(UGLY) Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Surprise (or surprise-less*) Muffins
* since the surprise spilled right out, there wasn't much surprise to them
* When Leighton told him the name of the muffins, Roy commented with a title as long as this, there isn't much of a surprise awaiting you!
muffin batter
2 cups flour (I used all purpose, I think a cup each of AP and WW would work great)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk (I can't remember for sure, but I think I didn't end up using this!)
1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
cream cheese surprise filling
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
strawberry surprise filling
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup sliced prunes
1/4 cup apple juice or water
directions
1. Add strawberry surprise filling ingredients in a small pan and simmer until fruit is soft. Use an immersion blender to create a smooth, jam-like filling. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix cream cheese surprise filling ingredients well and set aside.
3. Mix dry ingredients. I use my Kitchen Aid for this and just toss everything in from this point forward. But, baking rules would have you mix your wet ingredients separately before combing them with the dry and then folding in the strawberries. Do it however you want. I won't mind. Neither will the strawberries.
4. Put muffin liners in muffin pan. Or don't. Spray with cooking spray or grease them if you don't though. Or just use a silicone muffin pan like mine and skip the liners, greasing, and spraying. Next spoon some muffin batter into the bottom of your muffin tin. Top with a spoon of each of the surprise fillings. Cover with more muffin batter.
5. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.
6. Get a spoon and eat one (or two, or three) warm from the oven.
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