Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. While the oven heats, measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into a bowl and whisk them together gently to distribute the leavening agents evenly. This ensures your muffins will rise uniformly without any dense pockets. Have all remaining ingredients prepared and within arm's reach before you begin mixing the wet ingredients.

Puree the 2.5 cups of strawberries in a blender until completely smooth with no lumps—this creates the foundation of your muffin's flavor and moisture. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the pureed strawberries, sugar, milk, oil, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, food coloring, and lemon zest. I like to add the vinegar because it reacts with the baking soda to give the muffins a subtle lift and tender crumb. Whisk these wet ingredients together until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is well combined.

Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the bowl with the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir until just barely combined—there should still be some small flour streaks visible. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough, dense muffins, so resist the urge to blend everything completely smooth. The batter should look slightly lumpy and rough.

Gently fold the 1 cup of diced strawberries (cut into 1/2-inch pieces) into the batter using as few strokes as possible—about 4-6 gentle folds until they're just distributed. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. I always use a small ice cream scoop to keep portions consistent and ensure even baking.

Arrange the thin-sliced strawberries on top of each muffin, gently pressing them slightly into the batter so they stay in place during baking. These will caramelize slightly and add a beautiful fresh strawberry flavor to the top. Place the muffin pan in your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let the muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes—this allows them to set and firm up slightly so they won't fall apart when you remove them. Transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack where they can cool completely. They're best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warm, when the strawberry flavors are most vibrant.