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Friday, April 20, 2012

Orange Sour Cream Muffins with Poppy Seed Streusel

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One of my all-time favorite breads (errr cakes?!)--simply named Poppyseed Bread--features both poppyseeds and citrus, so when I saw this recipe for muffins in my Cooking Light cookbook, I knew I had to try it. With orange zest and a poppyseed streusel, PLUS buttermilk and sour cream, this had all the makings of a magic muffin.

Between the poppyseed streusel and the hint of orange, there was just enough to give these muffins something special. They smelled divine while baking, but I managed to hide them away until I served them for brunch the next morning. More light and airy, then heavy and dense, these are an ideal springtime treat. The leftovers didn't make it through the rest of the day!

One Year Ago: Open Faced Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
Two Years Ago: Pasta and Shrimp Primavera

Orange Sour Cream Muffins with Poppyseed Streusel 
from Cooking Light The Complete Quick Cook


Ingredients:
for the streusel:
-3 tbsp sugar
-2 tbsp all-purpose flour
-1 tbsp butter, melted
-1 tsp poppy seeds

for the muffins:
-2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup pastry flour)
-3/4 cup sugar
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
-1/4 cup butter, melted
-1 tbsp orange zest
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/4 tsp orange extract (optional, my addition)
-1 large egg, lightly beaten
-1 (8 oz) container reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine the streusel ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. To prepare the muffins, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, butter, orange zest, extracts, egg, and sour cream. Pour into the flour mixture, stirring just until moist (can still be lumpy).
4. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan and divide batter evenly amongst cups. Sprinkle streusel atop each muffin. Bake at 375F for 18 minutes, until golden brown. Remove muffins from pan and cool on a wire rack.