Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). This high initial temperature helps the muffins rise beautifully in the first few minutes of baking, giving them that lovely dome shape. While the oven is heating up, prepare your muffin pan by lining it with cupcake liners. This will prevent the muffins from sticking and make cleanup a breeze.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Next, place the softened butter and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Using either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy. This usually takes about 5 minutes. The goal here is to incorporate air into the mixture, which will make the muffins light and tender.

Step 3: Add the Eggs

Once the butter and sugar are creamed, it’s time to add the eggs. Add them one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go to ensure everything is evenly combined. The eggs help bind the ingredients together and contribute to the muffins’ richness.

Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This will ensure the leavening agents are evenly distributed, which helps the muffins rise evenly as they bake.

Step 5: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice. The combination of sour cream and milk gives the muffins their moisture and tenderness, while the orange zest and juice bring a fresh, zesty flavor.

Step 6: Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients

Now, it’s time to bring everything together. Start by adding half of the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Then, pour in the liquid ingredients and mix until combined. Finally, add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until everything is evenly mixed. Be careful not to over-mix; this can result in dense muffins.

Step 7: Add the Strawberries

Once your batter is ready, gently fold in the chopped strawberries using a rubber spatula. This will help distribute the strawberries evenly throughout the batter without mashing them too much. Fresh strawberries are the star of this recipe, and you want to keep their texture intact to give the muffins that perfect burst of juicy flavor in each bite.

Step 8: Portion the Batter into the Muffin Tin

Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each liner about ¾ full. This recipe should yield between 22-24 muffins. If you want to make fewer muffins, simply halve the ingredients.

Step 9: Add the Crumb Topping (Optional)

If you’d like to add a sweet crumb topping, combine the flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Use a fork or your fingers to mix the ingredients together until the mixture forms small pea-sized bits of butter. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the muffin batter.

Step 10: Bake the Muffins

Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, allow the muffins to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. This helps them set and prevents them from falling apart while still warm