This is a perfect treat for your Valentine as you celebrate the season with something special. If you can’t find key limes, you can opt for regular lime juice. You could fill a 12 cup muffin tin instead if you prefer, but I love the jumbo muffins. I have tried the muffins with both butter and oil, and I think the oil is a better product , a bit lighter in texture. I think dicing the strawberries allows a better distribution of fruit. Hope you love these!

Yield 6 muffins

Ingredients:

for muffins:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup neutral vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons grated key lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed key lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla powder
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/2 cups diced strawberries (1/4 inch dice)

for glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed key lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated key lime zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously grease a jumbo 6-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with muffin liners. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, key lime zest together in a large bowl and set aside.

In a 6 cup measuring cup or bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, key lime juice, buttermilk and sour cream until well incorporated and smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together with a wooden spoon until well combined with no lumps. Your mixture will be thick. Next fold in strawberries into the batter without over mixing.

Divide batter between each muffin cup, filling all the way to the top. Bake muffins at 425°F for 7 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375 and continue to bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown and centers are set using the toothpick method to test doneness (when inserted it should come out clean)

Allow to cool for 10 minutes on a rack, then invert onto a plate. Once cooled, combine all ingredients for glaze in a bowl. Drizzle over the tops of cooled muffins. Enjoy!

*these muffins hold well covered for a couple of days or delicious frozen if wrapped in a freezer ziplock for a couple of months