Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins for #Twelve Loaves

Bakingyummies

"What?" I asked my husband. With his mouth full, I couldn't understand what he was saying. "These are the best muffins you've ever made" he declared. "Ya I can see that", I said looking at the pile of seven empty cupcake liners on the dining table. I haven't had my breakfast yet I wanted to tell him but I quietly sat down and decided to munch on them before nothing was left for me.



So do they really taste as good as they sound? Yes Yes Yes they really do! With every bite you'll have the creamy silkiness of cream cheese contrasting beautifully with the bits of strawberries. These muffins are so soft and moist, you wouldn't even have to try much on chewing them, they just dissolve in your mouth....


It's almost the end of Strawberries season here and so when the theme for this month's Twelve Loaves challenge was announced, I was glad I got one more opportunity to bake with these wonderful red juicy berries. Btw, do you know that strawberries are 90% water? no wonder they provide such moistness to baked goods. The cream cheese that I've used here is a full fat one. Besides incorporating it in the batter, I also used about a teaspoon to adorn the muffin batter right at the center on the top just before baking. It's purely optional though.


This recipe is very versatile. You can substitute any berries here that you prefer. In fact, you can use any other soft cheese that goes well with berries like, ricotta, mascarpone, cottage cheese...wow so many delicious possibilities. There's one small mistake (if you can call it so) that I made, I had kept the oven temperature at 220 degrees C to give height to the muffins. Besides solving this purpose, what also happened was that the cream cheese had few brown peaks which I don't prefer really. But it did not affect the taste and texture of the cream cheese at all. Still, it's better to bake them at 200 degrees C / 400 degrees F.


Since these muffins are sooo good I made another batch in the evening and froze them. Now I can dig into them whenever I want to! :D

Recipe Source: Bakingyummies

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients
225 grams / 8 ounces plain or all purpose flour.
2 teaspoons baking powder.
1/4 teaspoon regular salt.
130 grams / 4.5 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature
200 grams / 7 ounces caster or superfine sugar.
75 grams / 2.5 ounces unsalted butter melted and at room temperature.
125 ml / 4fl ounces / 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature (or combine 1/4 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup semi skimmed milk).
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
2 large eggs at room temperature.
2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and coarsely chopped.
12 teaspoons full fat cream cheese at room temperature to adorn the muffin batter (optional).

Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C / 400 degrees F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners or grease and flour the tray.

In a bowl, sieve together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the dry mixture using a hand held whisk until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended, about a minute.

In a large bowl, using a hand held electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is creamy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the buttermilk, butter, vanilla and eggs. Beat well after each ingredient is added.

Fold in the flour mixture to the cream cheese mixture using a spatula until just combined. Fold in the strawberries until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups. Put a teaspoon of cream cheese (if using) on top of the muffin batter in the center. Using your index finger, press the cream cheese just a little to adhere it with the muffin batter.

Bake the muffins in the preheated oven until a cake tester comes out with a few moist crums attached to it, about 15 to 20 minutes. Place the muffin pan on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy your home made soft, creamy and delicious Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins!

Storage Suggestions: Muffins are best eaten on the same day or they can be frozen in a ziplock bag or an airtight container for up to a month.

Happy Baking!!!


Can't get enough of Strawberries? Look at what the other talented bakers have baked along:

23 comments

  1. They look so moist. I have no doubt that they taste every bit as good as they look (and that's beyond amazing)!

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  2. Your strawberry cream cheese muffins look divine! So moist and irresistible! My breakfast today pales in comparison!

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    1. Thank you Liz, your scones look very soft...I'm sure they taste great :)

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  3. I really like the brown peaks on the cream cheese. They remind me of a cafe-style blueberry muffin that I used to serve and the peaks were just a teensy bit brown from the baking. You have inspired me to make time for baking today! These muffins are beautiful.

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  4. These are definitely Baking Yummies! I love that you husband enjoyed them so much, and glad that you got to taste them before they were all gone. I just love that feeling of baking something that my family really enjoys and can't stop eating.

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    1. Thank you Felice! that's very sweet of you and yes you are absolutely right. I think I have made a good product when my husband likes it (except anything that's got dark chocolate in it since he's kind of fussy about it)

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  5. What nice photos! Glad you got the photographs done before you found your husband eating the muffins!! That has happened at my house where the rest of the family digs in before I get the picture taken. Sounds like these were so good no one could be blamed for eating them right up!

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    1. Thanks Holly. Yup thank goodness I took the photos before my husband pounced on them :D

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  6. Those look just perfect and what a cute story!

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  7. Wow, I want one of these right now! The look so perfect!

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    1. I wish I could share one with you over a cup of coffee :)

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  8. All these wonderful strawberry and cream cheese recipes have me wanting to go bake again...first, I will try these fantastic muffins!! Thank you for being a part of our group.

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    1. Thank you Lora! The pleasure is entirely mine to be a part of such an amazingly talented group! :)

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  9. Great minds, Deepti! There is no better partner to strawberries than cream cheese, in my humble opinion. What lovely muffins and I am not surprised that your husband was munching through them in record time! Glad you managed to get a couple!

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    1. Thank you Stacy! I agree, strawberries and cream cheese are a heavenly combination :)

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  10. Laughing at you looking down at seven empty cupcake liners. Your husband must have really enjoyed them. I think mine would too.

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  11. These are charming looking little muffins. Perfect for an afternoon tea!
    Renee - Kudos Kitchen

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