Patience Is A Virtue: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Does that look AMAZING, or what?

I have been craving something lemon. I have searched, and searched through recipes for days, but nothing has really grabbed my attention or interest.

Until I was doing my normal blog views and ran across this at Annie's Eats. Go ahead and head over there to see how similar they look.

Just look at the tops on those muffins.

To me, a muffin top is very important (not the ones at the top of the jean waist-line).

If there is no rounded top on a muffin it is not worth eating (my opinion). Kind of like a hamburger without fries, chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips, cheesecake without cream cheese, etc.... You just don't do it!!

I think I should have had paper towels under my cooling racks when I poured on the glaze. What do you think?

I didn't change much of this recipe.

I didn't have a lemon, so I used California lemon peel made by McCormick. I added about 1 1/2 TBS. in place of the lemon peel.

Since gas is the price of gold now days, I was not about to start up my vehicle and drive 10 miles for 1 lemon. Since I live in a little village with no grocery store (inconvenient!!).

I did make a change to the directions though. The directions said to use a mixer at low speed to mix in the dry ingredients.

Well, I have been told that if you over mix the muffin batter they will turn out tough. I did not want to chance these delicate lemon poppy seed muffins turning out tough, so I mixed the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.

They turned out light and fluffy (as you can see in the first picture).

This recipe is definitely going to be added to "My Favorites" file.

Thank you so much Annie's Eats for satisfying my lemon dilemma.

I have linked this recipe to Mandy's Recipe Box (totally tasty Tuesday). Head over there and link up one of your favorite recipes.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 TBS poppy seeds

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 c. sugar

2 large eggs

zest of 1 lemon (I used 1 1/2 TBS California lemon peel)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. yogurt (vanilla or lemon)

For the Glaze

1/2 c. confectioners sugar

1-2 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Real Lemon juice concentrate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Combine the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir briefly to combine. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time blending well after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest and the vanilla. Remove mixing bowl from mixer, and with a wooden spoon stir in the dry ingredients in two additions alternating with the yogurt, stirring each time just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 18-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the muffins are still warm, whisk together the confectioner sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl to make the glaze. Drizzle a small amount of the glaze over each muffin. Let the glaze set before serving.

"We hope for what we don't have yet. So we are patient as we wait for it."

Romans 8:25