I love food in miniature — I mean, who doesn’t?. Perhaps it’s just a general lack of commitment on my part, but eating an entire plate of the same thing is b-o-r-i-n-g. I much prefer a little nibble of this and that. That being said, it’s absolutely true that I generally have no problem inhaling an entire muffin before you can say “yum!”. Yet still, I adore a mini muffin, especially when it’s full of lemon and poppy seeds. Not only do I believe lemon is the secret ingredient to many great recipes, here it gives such a burst of brightness that goes beyond flavor alone. The addition of poppy seeds give that little bit of pop and interest that make these mini muffins a perfect little treat!
Mini Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins
Adapted from Bon Appétit
Special equipment: mini muffin pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (you can leave it out overnight without worry)
1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon zest (a microplane does the trick!)
2 large eggs
¼ cup poppy seeds
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
Butter and flour mini muffin pans or line with paper liners (enough pans for 36 muffins, depending on size).
In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, coarse salt and baking soda.
In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk and lemon juice.
Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix until just blended. Mix in poppy seeds.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups by generous tablespoonfuls.
Bake muffins until tester into center comes out clean, 18-24 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on a rack.
Makes 36 delicious mini muffins.
