Do the eggs and buttermilk need to be at room temperature?

No, you can use the eggs and buttermilk straight from the fridge. This recipe uses oil, rather than melted butter, so there is no risk that the cold eggs and/or buttermilk will cause the butter to seize up.

Do I need to use cupcake liners for this muffin recipe?

You don't have to, but I recommend using cupcake liners. I tested the recipe both ways, and I had a little trouble with the delicate muffins getting stuck when just using oil to grease the tin. This could be because my muffin tin is very old and the nonstick coating has mostly worn away. If you don't have cupcake liners, just spray the muffin tin generously with cooking spray, including the top of the tin (since the muffins will puff up and spill over the tin a little).

How do I get moist muffins?

In addition to using buttermilk, which helps tenderize the muffins, here are a few additional ways to ensure moist and tender muffins: First, use oil in the batter. According to this article on the pros of baking with oil , baked goods made with butter can be more dense and not as tender as when made with oil. I also like using oil because it's easier - no need to melt and cool butter first. (But, as I mentioned above, if you like the taste of butter, you can use half melted butter and half oil in this recipe!) Next, be sure to measure the flour accurately. Too much flour will make the muffins dry. Spoon the flour from the container into the measuring cup, and sweep off the excess flour with a knife. Or, better yet, use the weight measurement. And, do not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the muffins tough and dense. So, only stir the batter until the flour is combined - it's good if there are some lumps left over. Finally, do not overbake the muffins. If you keep them in the oven for longer than they need, they will dry out.

Blackberry Buttermilk Muffins

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Blackberries and buttermilk provide a delicious tang and tender crumb to these moist muffins. The blackberry flavor is complemented with lemon zest and vanilla. You can make these muffins all in one bowl, making prep a snap!

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: breakfast, snacks
Method: bake
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 1/2 cups (195 g) blackberries (fresh or frozen, see note 1)
1 teaspoon (2 g) finely grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
2 1/4 cups (279 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, or use weight measurement)
1 cup (215 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup (118 ml) neutral oil (vegetable oil, canola oil, etc.)
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
coarse sugar crystals (optional, for the tops of the muffins)

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Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place cupcake liners in each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin (preferred), or, generously spray the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
Rinse the blackberries and pat them dry with a paper towel. Pick them over to remove any moldy or soft berries. (Skip this step if using frozen berries.)
If desired, roughly chop the blackberries into large pieces (this step is optional, see note 2). Set aside.
Finely zest the lemon, set aside.
To a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Using the spoon, make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Add the buttermilk, oil, beaten eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest into the well. Gently stir the mixture to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Stop when all the flour has been moistened; do not overmix. There should still be some lumps in the batter.
Add the blackberries to the batter and stir gently, just enough to incorporate the berries into the batter.
Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin. If desired, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of coarse sugar on top of each muffin.
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 18 - 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and firm, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean (meaning, there is no wet batter on the toothpick - berry juice and/or moist crumbs are ok).
Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes, then move the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling to room temperature.

Notes

This recipe works well with fresh or frozen berries. To use frozen berries, add them to the muffin batter straight from the freezer without thawing first.

Cutting the blackberries is optional, if you want more evenly dispersed pieces throughout the muffin. Keep the pieces large however, so you still get distinct pieces of blackberry in each muffin. When chopping, be careful because some juice may squirt out of the berries!

The muffins will keep at room temperature for 1 - 2 days, tightly covered. For longer storage, the muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months.

The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and does not include the optional coarse sugar. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand, type, and exact amounts of ingredients used. This nutrition estimate should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/12 recipe
Calories: 258
Sugar: 18.7 g
Sodium: 183 mg
Fat: 10.4 g
Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
Carbohydrates: 37.7 g
Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 4.4 g
Cholesterol: 32 mg

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/blackberry-buttermilk-muffins/