Lemon Cherry Cornbread Muffins

MUFFINS: Lemon Cherry Cornbread MuffinsSummer fruit and vegetables are my favorite, and cherries are some of my favorite fruit. It is unfortunate that they are only really good for a couple months each year. Yesterday, during my weekly grocery shop at Trader Joe’s, they were selling red cherries and I couldn’t resist. I had to buy a basket.  Much better then buying a ½ dozen pretzel bagels (carbs, carbs, carbs).

I decided to make my famous Cherry Cornbread Muffins with a bit of a twist; a lemony zesty twist! They will make for some delicious mid-morning snacks. I love a good muffin.

Ingredients:

Cherries, 10, pitted and sliced

Margarine, ½ cup, melted

White Sugar, 3/4 cup

Eggs, 2

Vanilla Extract, 2 ¼ teaspoons

White Flour, 1¼ cup

Yellow Cornmeal, ½ cup

Baking Powder, 1½ teaspoon

Sea Salt, pinch

Fresh Lemon Zest, 3 small lemons

Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 small lemon

Directions:

  1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12-14 paper liners or spray with Pam very well.
  2.  Using a KitchenAid Mixer or electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
  3.  Add the vanilla, eggs and lemon juice. Scrape the bowl with a spatula.
  4.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking powder.
  5. With the mixer running, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined. At this time fold in ½ the cherries and all of the lemon zest into the batter.
  6.  Scoop the batter into the muffin tins.
  7.  Sprinkle the extra cherries on the top of each muffin.
  8.  Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9.  Enjoy!

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