For this year’s Valentine’s Day treat, I took advantage of winter citrus and made a batch of blood orange poppy seed muffins. These muffins have a moist crumb and are delicious on their own, but to add a little indulgence, I whipped coconut cream with a touch of confectioner’s sugar and vanilla bean. Let the frosting firm up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before topping the muffins.
Hope your Valentine’s Day was full of love, friends and family! XOXO
Blood Orange Poppy Seed Muffins with Coconut Cream Frosting
makes 12
Ingredients
for the muffins
2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tblsp poppy seeds
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 tblsp butter (one stick), melted
zest and juice of 2 blood oranges
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
for the frosting
1 can coconut cream
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
beans scraped from 1 vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Make the frosting. Chill the can of coconut cream for 1 hour or overnight. This will help separate the solids from the liquid. Chill the metal bowl from your mixer in the fridge for 30 minutes. Open the can, and carefully scoop out the coconut cream solids (avoiding the liquid at the bottom), into the chilled mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream on medium-high speed until whipped and smooth, around 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the vanilla and beat again for 1 minute. Let the frosting chill while you make the muffins.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper cups, or spray with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until mixed.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, blood orange zest and juice. Whisk in the yogurt and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together until just combined. The batter will be quite thick. Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling them 3/4 of the way full.
5. Bake in the center of the oven for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Test with a toothpick and remove when dry crumbs stick to the tester.
6. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely. When ready to serve, top the muffins with the chilled frosting.
