Easter Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar for tanginess)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature for best results
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, preferably pure for enhanced flavor
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (for lemon blueberry muffins)
• 1 cup grated carrots, plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (for carrot cake muffins)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, for chocolate chip muffins)
• Cream cheese frosting (for carrot cake muffins, optional)
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
• Chopped nuts or seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it with non-stick spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
3. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients: melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold until just combined.
5. If making lemon blueberry muffins, gently fold in the blueberries. For carrot cake muffins, fold in the grated carrots and cinnamon.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.