Cranberry-Orange Muffins

I think I have become addicted to muffins.  At least the 60 minutes I spend on the elliptical every day cancels out the muffin, so it's like it never happened. I was so excited to see that these were only 299 calories when I calculated it on SparkRecipes.   I found the leopard baking cups at Michaels.  They had pink and brown ones.  (of course I had to have both)

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest (the zest of one whole orange)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Line a muffin pan with baking cups
3) Zest one whole orange (about 1 Tablespoon) and set aside
4 )Squeeze the juice from that one orange (about 1/3 cup).
5) Put the orange juice (if needed, add some prepared orange juice to the fresh juice to make 1/3 cup) and the cranberries in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer about 5 minutes, stirring as needed.  Turn off heat and set aside.
6)  In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger - set aside.
7)  In large bowl, cream the butter, orange zest and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
8)  Scrape side of the bowl, then mix in the eggs (one at a time), vanilla, orange extract, and oil.
9)  Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk.  Fold in the cranberries.  Do not over mix.
10)  Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan.
11)Bake muffins about 20 minutes (test with a toothpick, there should be moist crumbs, but not wet).  Cool muffins on a wire cooling rack.

Servings: 12
Calories: 299
Fat: 19g
Fiber: 1.0g

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