Luscious Citrus Poppyseed Muffins
with a Lemon Glaze
Makes 18 regularly-sized muffins

Bright tasting, these muffins are perfect for an early spring morning. We like the sweet-and-tart taste that makes these muffins one of our all-time favorites. Make them in the regular size for breakfast, or mini-sized for teatime. We’ve included a double dose of citrus in these muffins – both orange and lemon. Their zest and juice define the flavors of both the muffin and icing. The poppyseeds add a nutty, crunchy touch to this variation on a classic. You’ll find that each bite of these muffins is a delight!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
3/4 cup butter, melted, then cooled
3 eggs, room temperature, beaten
1-1/2 cups plain yogurt, Greek-style
1 orange, zest and 2 tablespoon juice
1 lemon, zest and 2 tablespoons juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare baking pans by lightly greasing the interior sides of the baking pans, or positioning baking cup liners in each well.

2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and poppyseeds together by whisking well to evenly distribute all the ingredients throughout the flour.

3. Melt the butter on the stovetop or for 30 seconds in the microwave. Allow to cool.

4. In a separate, large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, orange zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. Whisk in the cooled, yet still liquid butter.

5. Combine wet and dry ingredients by adding the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients. Fold gently until uniformly mixed; do not over mix.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups. The batter will be thick. Fill the pans about three-quarters full. Bake in a 400°F oven for 14-16 minutes for regularly-sized muffins, or 10-12 minutes for petite mini-muffins. The muffins are done when a fingertip touch on the top of a muffin springs back, or when a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes back clean.

7. When done, allow the muffins to cool slightly in the pan, then remove them to a cooling rack to complete the cooling. (If glazing, the muffins should be completely cooled.)

8. Shortly before icing, mix the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice together. Begin with one tablespoon of the lemon juice and add by the half-teaspoonful until the glaze is the right consistency, one that forms a 2-3 second ribbon when drizzled into the bowl. With a whisk or fork dipped in the icing, drizzle over the cooled muffins. Serve warm or cool.