Fruit Explosion Muffins

For this Flashback Friday, with Mother's Day coming up, I had to think of these muffins posted in 2009. The perfect little breakfast in bed idea. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup coconut mixed with rind/zest of one orange
• 2 eggs
• 1 (very full) cup buttermilk*
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups fruit (frozen blueberries, cranberries, blackberries and/or raspberries)
• sugar for sprinkling

Method:

1. Prepare 12 regular sized muffin tins by spraying well or using parchment paper liners. (with low fat in the recipe they may stick to the paper if using regular paper liners.) ** 
2. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. 
3. Mix coconut and orange zest and add to flour mixture.
4. In mixing bowl, whisk /beat eat eggs well. Stir in buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. 
5. Add dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.
6. Stir fruit in carefully, so that the dough does not turn purple.
7. Fill muffin tins. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
8. Bake at 375° F for 25 - 30 minutes. Test with toothpick.

* If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can use 1/2 cup plain yogurt and 1/2 cup milk.
** For the photo I greased the wells and lined them with 4 inch squares of parchment paper, held in place with drinking glasses while preparing the batter. It was a bit more time consuming  to drop the batter in, but turned out pretty.