Lemon Poppy seed Muffins

You can’t go wrong with a basic lemon poppy seed muffin.  These are just a little bit better with the addition of a lemon glaze on top.   I made these in my mini-muffin pan, but they work just as well regular sized.  I’ve actually made these a few times already – just never gotten around to blogging them.  It think its finally time to change that!

Ingredients

For the muffins

• 2/3 cup sugar
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

For the icing

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2-3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups (or use a mini muffin pan, it will make at least 24 mini muffins). 

2. In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon strong.  Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

3. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended.

4. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Don’t worry about being thorough - a few lumps are better than over mixing the batter.  Stir in the poppy seeds.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (10 to 12 for mini muffins), or until the tops are golden and a thick knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.  Cool the muffins completely on the rack before icing them.

6. To make the icing: Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.  Stir with a spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough additional lemon juice, a dribble at a time, to get an icing that is thin enough to drizzle from the tip of the spoon.  You can then drizzle lines of the icing over the tops of the muffins or coat the tops entirely.

Source: Baking: From My Home To Yours, by Dori Greenspan  pages 10 & 11

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