For Muffins
2/3 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of
1Lemon
2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick(8 tablespoons) unsalted butter,
melted and cooled
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
For The Icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Butter or spray the twelve molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper cups.
Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon strong. Whisk together the flour,baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or in another bowl whisk sour cream , eggs vanilla lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with a whisk or rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend Don't worry about being through -a few lumps are better than over mixing the batter. Stir in the poppy seeds. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until tops are a golden brown and a thin knife inserted comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for five minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold. Cool the muffins completely on the rack before icing them.
To Make Icing
Put confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir with spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough additional lemon juice, a dibble at a time, to get an icing that is is thin enough to drizzle from the tip of your spoon. You can drizzle lines of icing over the tops of the muffins or coat them entirely, the better to get an extra zap of lemon.
