Ranier Cherry Almond Muffins

This has been a really good year for cherries.  I have bought a lot of the Bing Cherries.  They have had them for a really good price this season.  The other day Rainer cherries were on sale and I couldn't pass them up.  There is a very short window for the Rainer cherries.  I know for years I would not buy them because I thought they were the tart, sour cherries.  We had a tree at home growing up and the cherries were so sour and they look the same.  But one year one of the stores had samples and I tried one and they were the sweetest cherries I had ever eaten.  So now if they look good and are cheap I will pick up some.  You need to try them sometime too.

This recipe does call for buttermilk and I know I don't usually keep buttermilk.  I haven't tried this yet but they say you can turn milk into buttermilk with lemon juice.  I might have to try it sometime.

Look at those pretty cherries.  They are so sweet.  These are nice and fat and juicy.

Start with 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a measuring cup add 1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

4 Tablespoons melted butter

Rough chop 1 cup Rainer cherries.  I am so glad I have a cherry pitter.  I would not have made all these recipes with cherries had I not had the pitter.

Add the liquid to the dry.

Add the cherries to the mixture.

Add 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Mix well.

Fill up 12 muffin cups with the mixture.  Place in a preheated 375 oven and bake for 25-35 minutes.

After they are baked let them cool on a rack.

Now for the glaze for the top.

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup sliced almonds that have been crushed.

And just enough milk to make it smooth and spreadable.

I wanted it to have a little pink tint to I put a drop of red food coloring in it.

Spread on top.  I put the rack on top of wax paper so the icing won't make a mess.

Ranier Cherry Almond Muffins

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons butter melted

1 heaping cup chopped fresh cherries

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

cherry juice or milk to thin

1/4 cup sliced almonds lightly crushed.

Place in a preheated 375 oven and bake for 25-35 minutes.