Corniest Corn Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, optional
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned

Directions

1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven, then heat it to 400 degrees F. Prepare the 12 cups of a standard muffin pan with butter, nonstick spray, or paper muffin liners.
2. Put the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl and whisk to combine. In a spouted large glass measuring cup, or simply in a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk until blended. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, then stir lightly and briskly with a whisk or rubber spatula just until it comes together. The batter should not be smooth; lumps belong here. Fold in the corn kernels. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.
3. Transfer the tin to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops have turned golden and a knife inserted in the middle of the muffins comes out clean. Take the tin out of the oven, then gently remove the muffins from the cups and set them on a rack to cool.
4. Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature. They are also especially good split open, toasted, and spread with butter, jam, or both, assuming they did not disappear from the dinner breadbasket first.
5. For storage, plan to enjoy muffins the day they are baked. To keep them longer, wrap them so they are airtight and freeze them; they will keep for about a month. If you want to warm them again, use a 300 degrees F oven, or split and toast them before adding butter.