deliciousness

lemon poppy seed muffins

via joy the baker
makes 12 muffins

2/3 cup granulated sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour cream (buttermilk worked better for me)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter, melted until browned and cooled
2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (for topping the batter before baking)

For the Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar whisked together with 2 or 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12 mold, regular sized muffin tray with paper muffin liners, place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, rub the granulated sugar with the lemon zest until the sugar is lightly colored and scented with lemon. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk (or sour cream), vanilla extract, melted butter and lemon juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together. When almost thoroughly mixed, add the poppy seeds. Divide batter between muffin cups. Sprinkle each would be muffing with granulated sugar.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing. If you’re freezing the cupcakes for future eating, skip the glaze. It doesn’t freeze well.

orange poppyseed cake

via Nick Malgieri’s Perfect Cakes

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks (1/2 pound or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
One 8-ounce container of sour cream (I used 8 ounces of buttermilk)
1/2 cup poppy seeds
9-inch springform pan (I used a 9 by 5 loaf and a mini loaf pan)
2 tablespoons orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice
¾ cup granulated sugar

Grease a 9″ springform pan. Line the bottom with greased wax paper cut to size. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine and mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the mixture is very light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. One at a time, add the eggs, making sure to beat the batter until it is smooth after each addition.

Decrease mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides with a spatula. Beat in the sour cream followed by the rest of the flour mixture. Fold in the poppy seeds to give the batter a final mix.

Scrape the batter into prepared pan and bake for about an hour or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To prepare the syrup, combine orange juice, zest and 3/4 c sugar in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Strain the zest (I didn’t) and pour into a measuring cup.

After the cake is baked, place it on a jelly-roll pan. Poke about 20 holes into the cake with a skewer. Gradually pour or spoon the syrup over the top of the cake until it is absorbed. Collect the leaking syrup (if any) and spoon back over the cake. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool it. Remove the sides of the springform pan, transfer the cake to a serving plate and remove the wax paper underneath.