Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Strawberry season is in full swing and of course I couldn't resist buying a ridiculously large bundle of fresh Quebec strawberries at the Val-Mont ... especially after I saw someone pull up in a pickup truck and start unloading strawberries.  I decided strawberry muffins should be the breakfast of the week and started searching on foodgawker for some inspiration ... maybe with cream cheese?  I stumbled upon this recipe and couldn't pass by the concept, but there was something lacking in the execution.  Granted, I made changes, but that's only because I looked at the recipe and got a little too skeptical ... melted butter?  dumping everything in at once?  strawberry extract? oh no that won't do!  I may have to revisit this recipe again ... without the strawberry jam (with strawberries this amazing who needs jam?).

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins (adapted from She's Becoming DoughMessTic)

Ingredients
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
2 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
zest of one lemon (optional)
1 cup diced fresh strawberries
2/3 cup Strawberry Jam
Cream Cheese Center
1/2 cup Cream Cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 12 muffin tins.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In stand mixer, cream together butter and 1/4 cup sugar.
4. Mix in eggs one at a time.
5. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest.
6. Mix in 1/3 flour mixture, followed by half of the milk, 1/3 flour mixture, remaining half of milk and finishing with final third of flour mixture.
7. Fold in berries and jam.
8. In separate bowl, stir sugar and cream cheese together until well combined.
9. Pour muffin batter into muffin tins. Spoon cream cheese mixture into each tin equally, pressing it into the center of the batter.
10. Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes.