Recipe: Raspberry Orange Sour Cream Muffins

the appetizer:

Small Parties by Marguerite Henderson, features full menus, like Breakfast at the Cabin for Six with a recipe for Herbed Egg Strudel and Autumn Harvest Feast for Eight with a recipe for Roast Prime Rib of Pork with Cherry Bourbon Sauce.

Cookbook

Raspberry Orange Sour Cream Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Breakfast and muffins are synonymous. These magnificent moist muffins are adaptable to any taste and season-substitute blueberries or blackberries for raspberries, zest of lemon for orange zest, or add a few nuts to the filling, if desired. These make-ahead gems can be frozen after baking, and then later defrosted and reheated in a low (250° F) oven for 5 minutes to get the chill out!

2 cups bread flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large orange
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Topping

2 tablespoons raw sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place 12 paper muffin liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the butter, sour cream, egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and stir just to combine. Do not overmix. Stir in the raspberries. Divide the mixture among the muffin cups using an ice cream scoop. In a small bowl, combine the raw sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the muffins with the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake on middle rack of preheated 400-degree-F oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Note: You can substitute 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, blackberries, or chopped fresh peaches for the raspberries. Bake as directed.