Cherry Coconut Muffins

There has been little to no baking in the Cinnamon and Spice house lately. Thanks (not!) to the especially hot and humid weather. Boo! The very same weather that has been plaguing us since May with no end in sight. And because the kitchen is the heart of our house. The center upon which we convene. The oven is off limits along with anything else that will make the temperature skyrocket causing the kitchen to be intolerably hot. And consequently taking our gathering place from us.

So you can imagine my surprise one morning when I woke up to a cool room. The thermometer read 71 degrees. Not 101 or even 91. I rejoiced. Then I sprinted to the kitchen with sleep still in my eyes and proceeded to bake my little heart out by making muffins for breakfast. The very beauties you see here heavily adorned with red, juicy jewels you may know and love as much as I do – sweet Bing Cherries. Giddy with delight I also tossed in coconut flakes. For a little more oomph. Not that they needed it…

Moist, sweet and summery, they fixed me right up. So much so that when a blanket of humidity descended upon us again by early afternoon I didn’t even give a care. I was kicked back in my semi-cool kitchen with this tray of lovely muffins laid out before me, deliciously and completely satisfied.

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Cherry Coconut Muffins

(adapted from The Muffin Cookbook)

2 cups all-purpose Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 heaping cup Cherries, pitted, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons Butter, softened

2/3 cup Sugar or 1/2 cup Honey

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2/3 cup Milk

1/2 cup Sour Cream (regular or light) or nonfat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup unsweetened Coconut Flakes, plus more for topping

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or paper line a 12 muffin cup or 24 mini muffin cup pan.

2. In a small bow combine flour, baking powder and salt. Toss 1 tablespoon of flour with the cherries and set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 3 minutes.

4. Alternately mix in by hand the flour mixture and the milk. Fold in sour cream, cherries and coconut flakes.

5. Spoon into muffin caps just short of the top. Sprinkle coconut over tops if desired. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. About 12 minutes for mini’s.

6. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and remove to wire racks.

Print Recipe

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I’m linking this to Potluck Sunday over at Mommy’s Kitchen.

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Comments

redkathy says:

07/25/2010 at

If I hadn't already eaten all of the cherries I bought this week I would have made these Reeni, they look phenomenal!! Oh well, guess I have to add these to my must try list *sigh*

Kristin says:

07/25/2010 at

Those pictures are gorgeous. The muffins sound delicious. I know what you mean about the heat, it has been in the high 90's for months!

Melissa says:

07/25/2010 at

I love cherries, and I love coconut I guess I can't go wrong with trying this one.

Shriya says:

07/25/2010 at

Cherry and cocnut, that's an interesting combo. I love both of them. Perfect looking muffins.

Chris says:

07/25/2010 at

Funny. We have that type of coneflower in our front yard and the bumble bees ADORE it. There are a half dozen bumble bees on it at any time during the day, so I kept expecting to see a bee land in your pictures, ha ha.Great post.