Simple Bakery-Style Muffins

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl and set aside.
2. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in 2 additions, alternating with 3 additions of yogurt, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir by hand.
3. Using ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out with few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating muffing tin halfway through baking. Invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, and let cool 5 minutes. Serve.

MOCHA CHIP MUFFINS
Dissolve 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder in yogurt before adding to batter and fold 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips into finished batter.

APRICOT-ALMOND MUFFINS
Cream 1 ounce almond paste with butter and sugar and fold 1-1⁄2 cups dried apricots, chopped fine, into finished batter. Sprinkle batter with 1⁄2 cup sliced almonds before baking.

RASPBERRY-ALMOND MUFFINS
Cream 1 ounce almond paste with butter and sugar. In step 3, spoon half-portion batter into each muffin cup, then with small spoon make well in center of each portion of batter. Spoon about 1 teaspoon raspberry jam into each well. Fill cups with remaining batter and proceed as directed.

LEMON-BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest to butter-sugar mixture and fold 7-1⁄2 ounces blueberries into finished batter.

BANANA-WALNUT MUFFINS
Substitute 1 cup packed light brown sugar for granulated sugar. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg to flour mixture in step 1, and fold 3 small bananas, chopped fine (about 1-1⁄2 cups), and 3⁄4 cup chopped walnuts into finished batter.

LEMON–POPPY SEED MUFFINS
Add 3 tablespoons poppy seeds to flour mixture and 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest to butter-sugar mixture. While muffins are baking, heat 1⁄4 cup sugar and 1⁄4 cup lemon juice in small saucepan until sugar dissolves and mixture forms light syrup, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush warm syrup over warm muffins.