Prepare your oven and tin. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. I prefer using tall, tulip-style cases for a more dramatic, bakery-style effect. The paper should stand slightly above the rim of the tin.

Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and caster sugar. Whisk for about 30 seconds to aerate the mixture; you will see the powder become lighter and fluffier. This ensures an even distribution of the leavening agents.

Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate jug or bowl, whisk together the oil (or melted butter), eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is pale yellow, smooth, and slightly thickened—you will notice a creamy, uniform consistency with no streaks of egg white.

Create the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold them together gently. Stop as soon as you see no more streaks of dry flour. The batter will look a little lumpy and thick—this is exactly what you want. Over-mixing will develop the gluten, making the muffins tough.

Fold in the stars. Add the raspberries and white chocolate chips to the batter. Fold them in with just two or three strokes. You want the berries to remain whole and the chocolate to be evenly distributed. If using frozen raspberries, do not stir too vigorously; you will see the batter take on a slight pink hue from the berries, which is lovely.

Fill the cases. Using a large ice cream scoop or two spoons, divide the batter evenly among the 12 paper cases. Fill them all the way to the top—this is crucial for a high dome. The batter should be mounded up above the rim of the paper case. The surface will look bumpy and uneven, dotted with visible raspberries and white chocolate.

Add the finishing touches. Sprinkle the top of each muffin generously with demerara sugar. This creates a delightful, crunchy crust. For a truly restaurant-quality look, press one extra raspberry gently into the centre of each muffin top. This acts as a visual anchor and tells your guests exactly what they are about to enjoy.

Bake to golden perfection. Place the tin on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until the tops are a deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin (avoiding a raspberry) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The kitchen will smell intensely of toasted vanilla and butter, and the tops will feel springy to the touch.

Cool and present. Let the muffins cool in the tin for exactly 5 minutes. The steam will finish cooking the centres, and the structure will set. Then, transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Once completely cool, dust lightly with icing sugar through a fine sieve for a snowy, elegant finish. My kids absolutely devour this every time I make it, but I always save a few for the table to show off the beautiful, domed tops.