Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and finely diced (225 g)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for coating)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g), spooned and levelled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
- 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml), room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 g), melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cases.
- Coat Strawberries: In a small bowl, toss the diced strawberries with the 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In the largest bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Whisk well for 30 seconds to distribute leavening agents evenly.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract until homogenous. Drizzle the slightly cooled melted butter into the wet mixture while whisking gently.
- Fold Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold the ingredients together until just combined. Stop mixing when there are still streaks of flour visible (lumps are fine).
- Add Fruit and Fill: Gently fold the coated strawberries into the batter, mixing only 2–3 strokes until distributed. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cases, filling each cup nearly full.
- Bake High: Place the tin into the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for exactly 5 minutes.
- Finish Baking: Without opening the door, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.