Are you one of those who loves a holiday or entertaining because it is also a reason to bake? Being from Michigan, the land of the cherry, I want to share one of my favorite Fourth of July recipes for cherry muffins. They make for a perfect quickie breakfast or anytime snack when you have a house, cabin or cottage full of guests.
These muffins are moderately moist filled with exploding bites of succulent cherries. Sweet, tart, cakey and no need for butter or jam = healthy. The almond extract gives the batter a nice flavor, elevating it beyond just another muffin with fruit in it. The taste is a hit with young and old and with the right cupcake liners you can achieve perfect star spangled color coordination.
Photo via ShopBakersNook.com
Cherry-ful Muffin Recipe
2 cups dried cherries
4 tablespoons Chambord Liqueur
½ cup butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk (2% works fine)
Place dried cherries in a bowl with liqueur and cover with plastic wrap for 3 hours or overnight. If pressed for time, place in an oven proof dish, cover tightly with foil and place in a 350° oven for 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
Preheat oven 350°. Line muffin tins with 18 paper liners. In a medium bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla, almond, baking powder and salt. Using a spatula stir ½ of milk into batter, fold in ½ flour, then remaining milk, then flour. Slowly fold in cherries. Spoon batter into muffin cups, approximately ¾ full. Bake 25 – 30 minutes or until golden on tops. Cool muffins in pan before removing.
Additional tips: I’ve used conventional and convection, conventional is better. Sprinkle additional sugar on top prior to baking for a sparkly top, though not needed for flavor. I would have no problem replacing 1 cup of cherries with fresh blueberries but they don’t need to be soaked.
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Have a safe and festive weekend!
