Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by lining it with paper liners, and give both the liners and the pan a light spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt. This will be your dry mix.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts. The batter might appear slightly curdled, but don’t worry, this is normal.

With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry mix in three parts, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Be sure to mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.

In a small bowl, toss the diced strawberries with the remaining 2 teaspoons of flour. This step helps prevent the berries from sinking during baking. Reserve ½ cup of these berries for topping the muffins later. Gently fold the remaining strawberries into the batter using a spatula, ensuring an even distribution without overmixing.

Fill the muffin tin cups generously with the batter, using an ice-cream scoop for easy portioning. The cups will be quite full. Distribute the reserved strawberries evenly on top of each muffin and sprinkle the demerara sugar over the center of each one, keeping it away from the edges to avoid sticking.

Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. If the edges of the muffins stick to the pan, run a sharp knife around the top edge to loosen them. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 25 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy your freshly baked strawberry muffins, perfect for any time of the day!