Orange-Strawberry Yogurt Muffins

For this recipe, I used organic Stonyfield Farm yogurt.  It has a great pink color that comes from organic beet juice, not artificial coloring; unfortunately, the color baked out — I was hoping they would stay pink.  The yogurt I used didn’t have strawberry pieces in it, but if I did it again, I would make sure to either add them or get yogurt with strawberries in it.

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Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Bread
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Ingredients

Muffins

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• grated zest and juice from one small orange (I used a tangerine)
• 1 1/4 cup strawberry yogurt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted, plus additional for greasing

Topping

• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest.  Make a well in the center and pour in the yogurt, eggs, melted butter, and orange juice.  Vigorously whisk together the wet and dry ingredients until thoroughly combined, about 20 strokes.  The batter should be fluffy but slightly lumpy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup just short of the rim (if you want to fill the cups less, this recipe would easily make 18 smaller muffins).

To make the topping, in a small bowl, stir together nuts, sugar, and mace.  Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons over each muffin.

Bake until golden around the edges and dry and spring to the touch, 16-20 minutes depending upon size of muffins.  A cake tester or tooth pick inserted in center of muffins should come out clean.