Citrus-packed mandarin muffins can brighten a winter morning

Like a taste of sunshine, mandarins may be the perfect winter fruit. They’re sweet, juicy and packed with vitamin C (good for fighting winter colds).

It’s mandarin season and these delightful easy-to-peel gems are in good supply. You’ll need only two or three for a batch of these bright yellow muffins.

These muffins are bakery style with big fluffy tops that overextend their cups. The trick is to fill the cups to the top edge – and make sure to grease the top of the muffin tin so the muffin tops don’t stick. Paper or silicone liners are a must.

These muffins will freeze well, too. So any time you want a taste of sunshine, just defrost a muffin.

Mandarin muffins

Makes 12 to 15

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

½ cup shortening

1 to 2 tablespoons mandarin zest

1-3/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup fresh-squeezed mandarin juice (about 2 or 3 mandarins)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup milk

¼ cup cream

½ cup raisins (optional)

Sugar for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare muffin tin; grease top and line cups with paper or silicon liners. Set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening and mandarin zest. Add sugar and blend with mixer on medium speed until creamy. With the mixer running, add mandarin juice in a steady stream. Add vanilla.

Mix together milk and cream. Alternately, add a third of flour mixture and a third of milk mixture to the batter, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. Fold in raisins, if using.

Let batter rest for 10 minutes before filling cups.

With two spoons, gently fill muffin cups to the rim. Sprinkle sugar over the top of each muffin.

Bake muffins in preheated 375-degree oven for 25 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the muffins rest in the muffin tin for 10 minutes after baking. Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to separate edges (if necessary) before lifting muffins out of the tin.

Then, transfer the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling.