Blackberry Pie Muffins

I made these muffins a few days ago for my guy and his "crew." They were working on landscaping the backyard. I'm still not really sure what exactly went on back there (the end result was going to be a surprise for me), but I do know there was wind. And there was rain. Oh, and mud. Lots of mud. And there was a backhoe.

But my guy reads this site faithfully, and he still seems a little shell-shocked about the whole thing. So let's talk about the muffins, shall we?

Blackberry Pie Muffins. They're based on another favorite muffin recipe of mine, Apple Pie Muffins. Please, though, don't take the "pie" part of the name too seriously. It's no intriguing true hybrid like the Cookie Cake Pie or anything. It's just that the crumbly top tastes kind of like pie crust, see. It's yummy.

  

These tender muffins are brightened with a little lemon zest and bursting with fresh, tart blackberries, and they just scream "summer is coming! Summer is coming!" They don't literally scream - as far as I know, my muffins don't talk. But I do love that joke. (Can you name that joke?)

Here's the recipe!

Blackberry Pie Muffins

Makes about 12 muffins

Ingredients:

Topping

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Muffins

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 12 ounces fresh blackberries, cut in half

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees, and line 12 muffin cups with liners (or grease the cups).
2. In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
   
   
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg and then stir in the sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, and lemon zest.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, along with the buttermilk, and stir just until moistened.
   
   
6. Add the blackberries and stir until well incorporated.
   
    
7. Fill your muffin cups almost to the top with the batter (I like big muffin tops, and I cannot lie).
8. Sprinkle the topping evenly over each cupcake.
   
   
   
9. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes, until they're golden brown and the tops spring back when you poke at 'em.
10. Enjoy the blackberry goodness! ("Summer is coming! Summer is coming!")