Valentine’s Day Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
• 12 slices fresh strawberry
• 1 tablespoon white sugar

Directions

Mix lemon juice with as much milk as needed to measure 1 cup; let the soured milk stand for 5 minutes before using.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.

Cream together the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time; add the lemon extract.

Gradually stir in the lemon zest and soured milk.

Gently fold in the chopped strawberries.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in another bowl.

Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups to about 2/3 full.

Place a strawberry slice atop each muffin and sprinkle with some of the 1 tablespoon white sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before serving warm.