Oh What a Beautiful Muffin...Lemon Poppyseed!!!

Here's a recipe for Lemon Poppyseed muffins.  I love the tangy citrus flavor and the crunch of the poppyseeds.  This is a dense muffin with a high rise.  It bakes quickly at 400 degrees, and the contrast of the bright yellow flesh with the toasty outside crust is just beautiful.

LEMON POPPYSEED MUFFINS
400 degrees F, 17 minutes

Stir together dry ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat:
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
Add, mixing slowly:
2 eggs, one at a time
1 cup sour cream
freshly-grated rind of one large lemon (just the yellow part, don't dig into the white)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until all dry particles are absorbed.  Do not overmix.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray, or line with muffin papers.

Using ice cream scoop, fill muffin cups half-to-3/4 full (depending on how the batter evens out - I start with half full and then add more to each cup if I have it). 

Let filled muffin tins sit out for about 15 minutes to let the baking soda and powder start to work.  This ensures a nice, high crown to your muffins.  Then bake for about 17 minutes or until muffins have begun to take on a nice golden crust and the tops are dry in the middle and bounce back when lightly pressed.  Check at 16 minutes and see how they look.  Add more time, a minute at a time, until they are just right.

Remove from oven and cool in tin on wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove muffins from tin and allow to cool completely on rack.