ADVERTISEMENT
Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of the batter. To ensure an accurate amount is used in your recipe, always spoon the flour into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with the back of a knife, rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour container. Scooping can cause too much flour to pack into the cup, leading to an overly dry baked good.
Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar for the muffin batter and sanding sugar if you want to sprinkle it on top before baking. Sanding sugar doesn’t melt as easily as granulated sugar, leaving a delightfully crunchy topping. If you don’t have sanding sugar, you can sprinkle granulated sugar on top or skip the sugar topping.
Baking powder and baking soda: A combination of leaveners ensures these muffins bake up light and tender. Baking soda requires an acidic ingredient like buttermilk or citrus juice—which this recipe has plenty of—to activate.
Lemons: Using both lemon zest and lemon juice brings big, bright flavor to these simple muffins. Always zest your lemons before juicing, using a microplane or the small holes of a box grater. To keep lemons fresher for longer, store them in the fridge rather than on your counter.
Poppy seeds: This recipe features a generous amount of poppy seeds—three whole tablespoons. You can use less for a more subtle flavor and texture or sprinkle even more on top if you’d like.
ADVERTISEMENT
