Cornmeal-Cherry Muffins

A Kathleen Stewart recipe, as given to Fine Cooking magazine. The nice thing about this muffin is that you can make the batter up to a week ahead and just bake as needed. Nothing better than fresh, hot muffins at a moment's notice! Medium-grain cornmeal gives these muffins a rustic texture. For a finer texture, use half fine cornmeal and half medium.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 20 medium muffins

Ingredients

• 3  eggs
• 3  tablespoons lemon zest
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 6  ounces unsalted butter, melted
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil, plus
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 3  cups buttermilk
• 15  ounces all-purpose flour
• 19  ounces  medium cornmeal (polenta-type)
• 4 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 8  ounces  chopped dried cherries (about 2 cups)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, lemon zest, juice, butter, oil, and buttermilk.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, soda, sugar, and salt.
3. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just mixed. Gently fold in the cherries.
4. Grease and flour a muffin tin (or line it with muffin papers, preferably foil). Scoop about 1/2 cup batter into each tin so that the curve of the batter is even with the rim of the cup. (Refrigerate any extra batter in an airtight container for up to a week.).
5. Bake in the middle of the oven until firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minute Remove the muffins from the tin when they're cool enough to handle.