Muffin tops are simply the best. Its gentle caramelized exterior and fluffy cake-y interior sure makes my heart swoon. I was at a party a few years ago, and one of my friends brought some orange chocolate muffins. They looked delicious, so I popped the top off one of the muffins and left the muffin stump on the table. No big deal. Of course, my antics drew the attention of my friends. Sheepishly, I tried to explain my muffin top obsession but to no avail. I wish I could find someone else who understands. Baking with zucchini is great because they add natural lightness and moisture to any cake, not to mention the fact that you’re sneaking in vegetables into baked goods. Several years ago, I came across a zucchini bread recipe on Whole Foods, and this recipe has been, hands down, my biggest crowd pleaser. Everyone loves that the zucchini bread is light but not too sweet. I adapted the recipe by adding some lemon zest and poppy seeds and baking them as muffins instead. The entire exterior of the muffin had a perfectly caramelized texture and were so good that I didn’t just stop at the muffin top! Now that you’ve baked the muffins, what should you do with the zested lemons? Here are some ideas from The Kitchn. Random Fact: Did you know that the word “muffin” comes from the German word, muffe (“cake”)? These delightful little cakes made their first appearance in the 1830s. I wonder if there were any people who were obsessed with muffin tops back then.
