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Moist Lemon Yellow Squash Muffins

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These ultra-tender muffins hide finely shredded yellow squash in a bright lemon batter, creating a moist, golden crumb that stays soft for days. A smooth lemon glaze drizzled over warm muffins sets into a glossy finish that balances the citrus perfectly. You get 24 bakery-style muffins with bold lemon flavor and absolutely no vegetal taste.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 muffins
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

For the Muffins
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil neutral-flavored, such as Wesson
  • 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
  • 3 eggs room temperature, about 70°F
  • 1 cup sour cream a thicker variety such as Daisy is preferred
  • 2 cups yellow squash finely shredded and squeezed dry
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour such as King Arthur
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
For the Lemon Glaze
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted to remove lumps
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 pinch fine salt

Equipment

  • 24-cup muffin tin (or two 12-cup muffin tins)
  • Box grater or food processor
  • Clean kitchen towel (for squeezing squash)
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Small bowl for glaze
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C and grease a 24-cup muffin tin (or two 12-cup tins). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside. Finely shred the yellow squash using a box grater or food processor, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze firmly to remove as much moisture as possible — this step is essential to prevent soggy muffins. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you begin.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, lemon extract, and room-temperature eggs until the mixture is pale and well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest, then gently fold in the sour cream until just incorporated.
  3. Add the squeezed-dry shredded squash to the wet ingredient bowl and fold it in until evenly distributed. Pour the dry ingredient mixture over the wet ingredients and fold together with a spatula until just combined — stop as soon as the flour disappears. Do not overmix; the batter should look thick and slightly lumpy.
  4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and slightly domed.
  5. While the muffins bake, make the glaze: sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl, then whisk in the vanilla extract, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a pinch of fine salt until smooth and pourable. The glaze should be thick enough to coat a spoon but thin enough to drizzle.
  6. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them rest in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. While the muffins are still warm (but not piping hot), drizzle or spoon the lemon glaze over the tops, letting it run down the sides slightly. Allow the muffins to cool completely on the rack so the glaze sets and the flavors come together before serving.

Notes

Squeeze the shredded squash as dry as you possibly can — wringing it in a kitchen towel like a wet rag makes a real difference between a light, moist muffin and a dense, soggy one. You can substitute zucchini for the yellow squash in a one-to-one swap with virtually identical results; no other changes are needed. Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week (the texture will firm up slightly when chilled). To freeze, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Reheat in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes to restore that just-baked softness. Drizzle the glaze when the muffins are warm but not straight from the oven — too hot and the glaze slides off, too cool and it won't set properly.

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