Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins

To be nakedly* honest, Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins have never been one of my faves. ’Tis true. I find them too sweet - more like a cupcake than a muffin. I say that based on years of experience haunting coffee shops and cafés all over North America. Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins are everywhere and everyone loves ’em. Except me. So, at the bottom of this recipe, I've come up with a slight variation I do love. 

Be sure to really cream the butter and sugar; this takes at least 5 min., but is well worth the effort. To produce a superior result for any baking, be sure your eggs are at room temperature.  

Seeking a second batch of muffins for last week’s Fabulous Femmes Film Fest (see my Dinner Party post of May 9, 2014), I decided to pull out everyone else’s favorite, namely these. While I’ll never be a fan, I can tell you that as Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins go, these are superb. They taste exactly like those in the big coffee chains (faint praise), so if you enjoy that sort of thing, here you go. 

* I have a photo, but let’s not scare the horses.  

Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins:

2 tbsp. (30 mL) grated lemon rind

1 tbsp. (15 mL) lemon extract

3 c. (750 mL) all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. (3.7 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt

1/4 c. (60 mL) poppy seeds 

1 c. (250 mL) margarine, softened

2 c. (500 mL) granulated sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 c. (250 mL) buttermilk (see Buttermilk Substitute Note)

Icing sugar (“confectioners” sugar or “powdered” sugar), as needed

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Drop paper liners into muffin pans or spray-grease lightly. In a small bowl, combine rind and extract. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients, mixing well to disperse poppy seeds. Set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine margarine and sugar until no graininess remains when mixture is rubbed between thumb and forefinger. Mixture should be very creamy. Add lemon zest and extract, beating further until well mixed.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat in rind and extract.  Spoon into ungreased paper liners in muffin pans. Bake 25-to-30 min. or until a toothpick poked into center of muffins comes out dry. Cool in pan 10 min. before transferring muffins onto cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Dust tops with sieved icing sugar, if desired. Makes 2 doz. standard-sized muffins.

Buttermilk Substitute Note: For each cup of buttermilk you need, measure 1 tbsp. (15 mL) white vinegar or lemon juice and enough whole milk to measure 1 c. (250 mL). Stir, then let stand for 5 min. Or: use 1 c. (250 mL) plain yogurt. Or: Combine 1 c. (250 mL) milk with 1-3/4 tsp. (8 mL) cream of tartar.

- From Treats to Remember, 1995, the UBC Food Group

My variation: Omit poppy seeds. When muffins are fully cool, slice about 1/3-in. (0.8 cm) from top of muffin, adding a dollop of commercially made lemon curd. Gently replace muffin top, dusting with sieved icing sugar.

Cock-a-doodle ... Do-o-o have seconds!