“A muffin is a bald cupcake.” —Jim Gaffigan
Never has a statement resonated with so much truth as when those words escaped Jim Gaffigan’s food-obsessed mouth. This isn’t the first time I’ve referenced Gaffigan, nor will it be my last (see my Bacon Wrapped Dates recipe for a link to his epic homage to bacon).
And this, friends, is why you won’t see many muffin recipes on my blog. To me, muffins are like unfinished masterpieces begging to be crowned with a generous piping of velvety, sweet buttercream. They’re naked and vulnerable, and lack the poise of a well-dressed cupcake. And perhaps worst of all, they don’t constitute a real dessert. Leave ’em bald, they’re a sorry, hand-held breakfast for the worker-bee-on-the-go. Give ’em their due crowning glory, they’re a prim and pretty post-dinner confection fit for sugar-addict princesses and stoners alike.
That said, every once in a blue(berry) moon, you come across a muffin that’s worth a thousand bites of infidelity to cupcakes. The following muffin recipe is it. Studded with plump, fresh blueberries, coated in a dusting of sweet streusel, and spiked with a dash of lemon zest and almond extract, these melt-in-your-mouth blueberry muffins will make you believe that frosting isn’t missing from the equation.
Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons whole milk
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 4 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ F
- Thoroughly grease a standard muffin pan
- In a medium bowl, sift together the 11/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt, set aside
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar and lemon zest, beat until light and fluffy
- Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract, beat until well-mixed
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet, mix until just combined
- Add milk and mix
- Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined (don't over-mix!)
- In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of flour
- Gently fold the berries into the batter
- In a separate small bowl, combine all streusel ingredients (sugar, flour, and shortening) until well-mixed
- Spoon batter evenly into each well of the muffin tin, filling each about ¾ full
- Sprinkle a generous amount of the streusel mix on top of each well of batter
- Bake 19-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
- Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Dina says
they look yummy!
Kailley @ Kailley's Kitchen says
Thanks, Dina! They’re definitely addictive! 🙂