Citrus-currant Sunshine Muffins

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 orange, zest of
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• salt, a pinch
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup moist plump dried currant

Recipe

• 1 center a rack in the oven; preheat oven to 375°.
• 2 butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.
• 3 alternately, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups.
• 4 place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
• 5 in a bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange is strong.
• 6 whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• 7 in a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the orange and lemon juices, lemon extract, melted butter, and eggs.
• 8 pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.
• 9 don't worry about being thorough--a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter.
• 10 fold in the currants.
• 11 divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
• 12 bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
• 13 transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.