The strawberry muffins are very soft, light and aromatic cakes ideal for a genuine spring breakfast. The batter is the same as the chocolate chip muffins I proposed a few weeks ago; in fact if you like them you can add two tablespoons of chocolate chips to the mixture — they will become even more delicious.
Do you know those muffins that look perfect but turn out chewy, compact and dry at the first bite? Forget them! My muffins are extremely soft, fragrant and full of fresh strawberries — I’m sure one won’t be enough.
The secret to getting such a light batter is the speed with which the ingredients are mixed: just a few seconds to obtain a homogeneous batter to which the fruit is added before baking; in the oven they will develop a wonderful aroma of strawberries, vanilla and lemon that will spread throughout the house.
The true American muffin calls for buttermilk, an ingredient that is rarely found here, so I replaced it with yogurt, which — rich in active cultures — keeps the batter very soft for a long time. Don’t like yogurt? You can replace it with milk.
Try the other versions:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12 pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup plain natural yogurt (about 125 g (or substitute with about 1/3 cup of milk))
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 6 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- lemon zest (grated, from half a lemon)
- 1 1/3 cups strawberries (firm and sweet, hulled (net weight))
- as needed vanilla powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Bowl large
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Muffin pan with 12 paper liners
- Paper towels
Procedure
Wash the strawberries, pat them dry and remove the green tops. Cut 5–6 strawberries into small dice — these will be used to decorate the muffins; slice the remaining berries about 3–4 mm thick (about 1/8 inch) then cut the slices in half. Lay them on a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside. This is a small trick to prevent the strawberries from sinking in a well-made batter.
Crack the eggs into the bowl, add the sugar and whisk well; then add the yogurt, the oil, the grated lemon zest and the vanilla (you can substitute these aromas with others you prefer), incorporating everything.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and add them to the bowl with the other ingredients; mix the batter quickly with the whisk to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Fold in the strawberry slices and mix briefly and gently.
Pour the batter into paper liners placed in the muffin pan. With this batter you will obtain 12 classic muffins.
Place the diced strawberries on the surface; in some I put a slice (as you can see in the photo) to show you that in both cases they do not sink.
Bake the muffins in a preheated conventional oven at 347°F for about 20 minutes.
Use the toothpick test to check for doneness; if needed, extend the baking time by a few minutes.The strawberry muffins are ready — let them cool completely, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Tips
Storage
The strawberry muffins keep at room temperature for 3 days under a glass dome. If you want to store them longer, place them in the fridge well covered and warm them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
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