Raspberry-Coconut Buttermilk Muffins

Now, I typically like to keep my fresh berries for eating by themselves. But, I was not prepared to be fighting with frozen raspberries for this recipe, because frozen berries in a thick batter = streaking and mushing. So, I caved and used the fresh berries from our bushes. This recipe pretty much used up today's pickings, because unfortunately it is an off year for our bushes. My Grandpa would be so disappointed. His raspberries were his pride and joy and ours have never lived up to those standards. Maybe twice in a year I'm lucky enough to taste a raspberry that tastes exactly like his did. The funny thing is, I don't even know if I'm comparing what I taste to his actual berry taste, because I would have been only 3 years old the last year he would have had his bushes. But that taste just triggers something, I swear.

Another thing that brings up memories is when I first opened the bag of new coconut for this recipe and the first thing that comes to mind is Tim Hortons donuts. The ones with the yellow or blue tinged coconut that adorned the lemon or blueberry donuts that were (what I assume to be) seasonal specials. So much artificial colouring that would make a parent of today scream in terror, but I loved them. The smell of the coconut just brought me back to those donuts, which is funny because there is a lot of other (and better things) that coconut could remind me of, but oh well.

This recipe is one of those ones that was a newspaper clipping that has been photocopied and placed in my Mom's Recipe Binder (you know it's good when it's been passed around like that). I don't know who recommended it to her, probably somebody made them and shared them at work, and from what I can make out from the top corner, it looks like this appeared in the Times Colonist, but when I do not know.

Makes: 9 large muffins

Ingredients

1 3/4 C. Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1/2 C. Unsweetened Medium Coconut Flakes, divided

1 Egg

1/3 C. Sugar

1 C. Buttermilk

3 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1 1/4 Tsp. Vanilla

1 C. Raspberries

Directions

~Preheat oven to 375 F.

~Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners.

~In a large bowl, whisk the flour, powder, soda and salt with 1/4 C. of the coconut. Set aside.

~In a medium bowl, combine egg, sugar, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

~Sprinkle raspberries with 2 Tbsp. of the dry ingredients and toss to coat.

~Pour wet ingredients into dry and combine with a few quick stirs. Batter should be lumpy. Don't over mix.

~Gently fold in the raspberries.

~Scoop batter into prepared tins.

~Sprinkle top of muffins with the remaining 1/4 C. of coconut (it will look like a lot, but it really is the perfect amount for 9 muffins. So if you are making more than 9 muffins, you'll want to increase the coconut topping accordingly, otherwise these muffins rise really strangely if they don't have enough topping on top. Strange, I know.)

~Bake for 20-22 minutes or until puffed and golden (and toothpick comes out clean.)

~Cool slightly then remove from pans and then cool completely before storing.

Enjoy