I have a raspberry bush in my yard. It didn’t do too well this year, but I managed to collect a whopping 3 cups of raspberries from it! I decided to use most of them to try out this recipe, and ate the rest. 🙂 This recipe is adapted from one I saw at Cooking Light. The cream cheese and berries make it a deliciously moist muffin, and I decided to add a glaze to give it a little more sweetness. But they are good without the glaze, too, so you can make them either way. This recipe makes 16 regular–size muffins.

RASPBERRY–CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS (adapted from Cooking Light)

• 2/3 cup (5 ounces) light or regular cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup low-fat or regular buttermilk
• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line regular–size muffin/cupcake pans with paper liners (since this recipe makes 16, you could line 8 cups in each pan for even baking). In large bowl, combine softened cream cheese and butter; blend well. Add sugar and mix until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, and mix well.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; blend together. Add these dry ingredients to the egg mixture and blend well. Then add in the buttermilk, mixing well. Gently fold in the raspberries and nuts. Spoon batter into paper liners, about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of each muffin comes out clean. Cool a few minutes, then remove muffins from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

Now you can add the glaze if you like…

POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. milk or half & half

Mix the powdered sugar and milk together, blending well. Drizzle lightly over each muffin. If you want, you can sprinkle additional chopped nuts over the glaze.

This is a great recipe for raspberries, and perfect for serving at breakfast or brunch. Or even afternoon tea.

I’m sure hoping my raspberry bush will do better next year!

Raspberries

Find more recipes at Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, and Cupcake Tuesday.