Summer! It has arrived! The weather was perfect. And I as write this, there is still a trace of light on the horizon! At half past 10!

What better way to celebrate the start of summer than to make something with a summer fruit!

To me, cherries are my favorite summer fruit. Bing cherries, especially.

Cherry chip cake uses maraschino cherries, and some of the liquid packed with the cherries, but I decided to make a more natural, fresher version.

Instead of frosting, I decided on just muffins by themselves. Besides, the cake is very rich.

Enjoy! Cherry Muffins (6 jumbo muffins, or 10-12 regular muffins)

ingredients

4 ounces (1 stick) + 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (~130 grams), room temperature

1/2 cup (~100 grams) sugar

2/3 cup all purpose flour + 1/3 cup whole wheat flour (or just one 1 cup all purpose)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons nonfat milk powder (optional)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup pitted cherries (~164 grams)

method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Process the cherries by very briefly pulsing only until chopped coarsely. Set aside.

Grease muffin tins. I used a 6 jumbo muffin mold pan, but you can make 10-12 standard muffins, or any other sizes. Set aside.

Sift the flour(s), baking powder, salt, and milk powder (if using), into a bowl and stir with a whisk to mix more thoroughly.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, briefly mixing with a hand held mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed.

Add the vanilla and mix again thoroughly.

Slowly add a third of the flour mixture. Mix on slow.

Then add half the sour cream. Then mix on slow until incorporated.

Repeat this, then finally add the last third of the flour and continue to mix on slow, briefly, each time. Don’t over mix.

Lastly, mix in the cherries by folding it in with a rubber spatula.

Divide batter evenly into prepared molds and bake for about 20-25 minutes. ovens vary, so it may take less time or more time. You want the tops to be dry and slightly domed. Mine took about 27 minutes.