Mulberry-Orange Muffins

(FYI: Your muffins will not turn out with a greenish tint like mine did...unless you are out of rock sugar and improvise with green sugar crystals.) ;)

Mulberry-Orange Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

zest of one orange

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups low-fat sour cream

1 1/2-2 cups fresh mulberries, stemmed (this is a very tedious process - please be forewarned and make sure that you wear something to protect your clothes)

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour

rock or turbinado sugar

unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add orange zest and eggs, one at a time, incorporating thoroughly after each addition. Alternate flour mixture and sour cream in thirds, mixing until almost incorporated. Toss mulberries in 1 tablespoon flour, shaking off any excess. Carefully fold berries into batter.

Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Scoop batter into cups (fill completely); an ice cream scoop makes quick work of this. Top each scoop of batter with a sliver of butter (about 1/4 teaspoon) and sprinkle the tops generously with rock or turbinado sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until muffins are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

If storing in an airtight container, muffins will stay moist for a few days.

These are delicious and it makes me feel really good knowing that we used resources from our own backyard. I plan on keeping this recipe around for the next mulberry season...they were a bit hit in our house! :)