Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Do you have a favorite muffin recipe? Blueberry, bran, honey wheat, chocolate chip, cinnamon swirl...the list goes on. I used to think I was a blueberry muffin girl through and through, but I'm slowly beginning to realize that my favorite muffin changes about as often as the weeks change. Right now my favorite are definitely these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.

These muffins are, in fact, more like a delicate cake. Just read through the ingredients and instructions and you'll see that the muffins are made very similarly to a lemon cake. Separate the eggs, beat the egg whites, fold them into the batter. Mix the dry ingredients together, add them to the batter alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. These instructions all scream "cake" to me, which is probably what initially caught my attention about these "muffins".

Call these muffins or cupcakes, no one can argue that they are out of this world delicious. The bright lemon flavors balance perfectly with the creamy butter and sweet vanilla extract. The texture of these muffins is also out of this world. Unlike some muffins that are really dense, these muffins couldn't be any fluffier or lighter, all thanks to beating and folding in the egg whites.

With bright, sunny, summer days upon us, I can't think of a more perfect muffin to make (and devour) than these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (adapted from Food.com)
(8-10 muffins)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 cup buttermilk
optional: zest from one lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a regular size muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Add the butter and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Cream ingredients on high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix in. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and make sure all ingredients are mixed together.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Add some of the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into batter.

Fill the prepared muffin pan with batter, filling each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan and putting on a wire rack to cool completely.

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Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 214.3
Total Fat: 11.1 g

Cholesterol: 62.5 mg

Sodium: 86.8 mg

Total Carbs: 26.2 g

Fiber: 0.7 g

Sugars: 14.3 g

Protein: 3.7 g

Pros:

-Pretty presentation-perfect for brunch or family breakfast
-Delicious, light, delicate muffins
-Great for breakfast or snack
-Can easily be doubled to make more muffins

Cons:

-These muffins require a little more time and effort to make (separating the eggs, beating the egg whites, alternating the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, etc), but the effort is well worth it!