These simple muffins are bursting with sweet strawberry flavour. The addition of buttermilk creates a super tender crumb, while a pinch of ground ginger adds a subtle bit of spice. If it’s rhubarb season, you can definitely add some to this muffin.

Looking for more strawberry recipes? Check out my Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble and Strawberry Trifles!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
• coarse vanilla sugar*, for sprinkling (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line muffin pan with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and salt. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about two minutes.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until fully combined.
5. Next, add the flour and buttermilk in alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
6. Use a wooden spoon or a spatula to gently fold in the chopped strawberries.
7. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Don’t be afraid to fill the muffin liners right to the top if you want big muffins. Sprinkle a little vanilla sugar over each muffin, if desired.
8. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

*Yield: 12 large muffins.

*It’s easy to make your own vanilla sugar: you’ll need one cup of coarse sanding sugar and one vanilla bean. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the caviar out of the pod. Stir the vanilla caviar into the coarse sanding sugar and store in an airtight container.