Cherry Muffins - Blueberry Muffins

Yesterday, I realized I still had fresh cherries in the fridge. Well, they used to be fresh cherries. They were getting a bit on the old (but not yet bad) side. Knowing how expensive cherries are, I tried to think of a way I could use them in some sort of baked food.

I decided to try them in the place of blueberries in a recipe for blueberry muffins. I know that sounds really weird, but it was actually very good! I've found these to be as good as the store muffin kits, but in this home version, you don't consume any additives or preservatives. It's pretty easy to mix together, too.

I'll give you the recipe for Blueberry Muffins first, followed by the recipe for the Cherry version.

This blueberry muffin recipe came from a club cookbook put out in 1986 by the Bethel Bur-Ton Homemaker's Club of Savannah, Georgia. Although some of the recipes have errors, overall it's been one of my most useful cookbooks, because it has all the old fashioned, yummy recipes! Mrs. Lester Eck is credited with this recipe.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 egg
1/4 c cooking oil
3/4 c milk
1-1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c blueberries

Beat egg, oil and milk together lightly. Sift dry ingredients together/ blend lightly. Do not beat. Fold in blueberries. Bake for 25 minutes at 375. May be made in greased muffin pans or paper lined pans. Fill 2/3 c full. Makes 24 small muffins or 12 larges ones.

(I will make a small correction here to Mrs Eck's recipe, be careful of the time. In my oven at 375, these are done in 18 minutes, not 25. So keep an eye out, oven temps/times vary)

CHERRY MUFFIN VERSION

I decided to increase the sugar amount, because fresh cherries are generally more sour than blueberries. It worked great.

1 egg
1/4 c cooking oil
3/4 c milk
1-1/2 c flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped fresh cherries

I figured out a quick and easy way to mix this together:
I use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup to measure out 3/4 cup milk, then added vegetable oil until the level of all the liquid hits 1 cup. Then I added the 1 egg and lightly mixed with fork.

Then I took a large mixing bowl and put all the dry ingredients in. I did not sift, the flour is pre-sifted. I did mix all the dry ingredients together very well, then poured in the liquid. Folded in the cherries, put into greased muffin pan(s) for 18 minutes at 375.

If you like the Duncan Hines "Bakery Style" muffins with the streusel-like topping, here's a home version of that:

Mix together:

1/2 c sugar
3/4 c flour
1/4 c butter
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix with fork and sprinkle over muffins before baking.