RECIPE: Orange-Cranberry Muffins

I pulled this recipe out of a Family Circle magazine from December 2007. It looked so good! It was made in Bundt cake fashion but I knew my hubby wouldn't touch this with a ten-foot pole so I turned it into muffins so I could freeze some and not eat them all in one sitting, which I probably would have because they are SOOOOO good! If you choose to do the Bundt cake recipe, make sure you do the garnish and glaze step, it looks too pretty to omit.

Orange-Cranberry Muffins
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tsp grated orange zest
1-1/4 cup all purpose flour
1-1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cup frozen or fresh cranberries


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two (2) muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine butter ans sugar in large mixing bowl and cream with electric beater for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each. Add vanilla and orange zest, mix well. Combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt and baking powder in separate bowl; set aside 1 tablespoon flour mixture. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture in mixing bowl, beat slowly to combine. Add sour cream and then rest of flour mixture beating until smooth. Coarsely chop cranberries and toss them with remaining 1 tablespoon of flour mixture and fold into batter until evenly distributed. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop equal amounts of batter into each muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The tops may or may not brown (mine didn't brown). Remove to wire rack and cool 5 minutes and then remove from muffin tins to cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 24 muffins.


Enjoy!