Description
Zesty Lemon Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling offer a delightful balance of tangy citrus and creamy richness. Bakers can easily craft these delectable treats for a perfect breakfast or afternoon snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 milliliters/4 fl oz) whole milk
- ½ cup (115 grams/4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 oz (115 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tbsps granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters/2 fl oz) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (60 grams/2 oz) powdered sugar
- 12 tbsps fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheating and Preparation: Activate the oven to 350F (175C) and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners for seamless extraction.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Whip softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until achieving a silky, homogeneous texture, then reserve for later integration.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl, ensuring comprehensive and even distribution of dry components.
- Liquid Element Emulsion: Combine milk, melted butter, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a separate vessel, whisking until perfectly harmonized.
- Batter Assembly: Gently fold wet ingredients into dry mixture, executing minimal stirring to preserve an airy, delicate muffin structure and prevent potential toughness.
- Filling Technique: Deposit an initial layer of batter into each muffin cup, strategically positioning a central cream cheese dollop for an unexpected flavor core.
- Batter Completion: Carefully conceal the cream cheese filling with remaining batter, filling cups approximately three-quarters full to facilitate optimal rising.
- Baking Process: Slide the muffin tin into the preheated oven, monitoring for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick emerges clean when tested near the muffin’s periphery.
- Cooling Protocol: Permit muffins to rest briefly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack for complete temperature equalization and textural refinement.
- Optional Embellishment: Craft a luminous lemon glaze by whisking powdered sugar with lemon juice until reaching a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Storage and Serving: Present immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container, maintaining optimal freshness for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir batter gently and minimally to keep muffins light and fluffy, avoiding tough, dense textures.
- Cream Cheese Placement: Center the cream cheese filling carefully in the muffin’s middle to ensure even distribution and prevent sinking.
- Temperature Control: Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and milk to help create a more uniform and smoother batter consistency.
- Zest Intensity: Grate lemon zest finely to maximize flavor without introducing bitter white pith, enhancing the citrus notes throughout the muffins.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 194
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 134 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 38 mg