Panettone Muffins

In a medium bowl, combine dried fruit and orange juice. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove bowl from fridge and let the mixture come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin (or 12 paper mini panettone molds set on a baking sheet) and set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, oil and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and stir to combine. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together baking powder, salt and flour. Stir it into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in fruit mixture.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with sugar, if desired. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes in muffin tin, then remove from tin and cool completely on a cooling rack (if using panettone molds, remove muffins from baking sheet to cool completely).

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.