Small Batch Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

After making last week’s apple cake, and then eating apple cake with pumpkin ice cream every night for a week, I remembered the importance of small batch recipes during a pandemic. So this week, I turned to Hummingbird High’s trusty guide of small batch recipes and asked Erik which sounded the best. We landed on lemon poppy seed muffins, and the recipe was perfect – it made 4. I thought making 4 muffins would be breakfast for two days, but turns out it’s just breakfast for one day. On the plus side, I now can’t eat them everyday all week.

To start, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest using your fingers, making sure to rub the lemon zest into the sugar.

In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon extract.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar mixture and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary.

With the mixer on low, add the egg and beat until combined, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula.

Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating on low after each, until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture. Continue beating until incorporated.

Add the poppy seeds all at once, and beat to incorporate.

Divide the batter between 4 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Fill the remaining muffin cups about 2/3 full of water. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar over the tops of the muffins and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake at 400°F for 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a couple of crumbs.

They get so puffy and craggy! Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Or just eat them warm out of the oven. You won’t regret it.

Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (99 g) sugar
• zest from one lemon
• 1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and lemon zest with fingers, rubbing zest into sugar.
3. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon extract.
4. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy – 2 or 3 minutes.
5. With the mixer running on low, add the egg and beat to incorporate.
6. Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating until just combined after each addition.
7. With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture and beat until incorporated.
8. Add the poppy seeds all at once. Beat to distribute evenly.
9. Divide batter between 4 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Fill remaining cups 2/3 full of water.
10. Sprinkle tops of muffins with 1 teaspoon of sugar and poppy seeds to garnish.
11. Bake at 400°F for 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.