- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 egg whites
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
- Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add egg yolks one at a time, allowing the first to blend into the butter mixture before adding the last. Beat almond extract and lemon zest into the mixture.
- Stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing until just combined into a batter. Fold poppy seeds through the batter.
- Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until stiff peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form sharp peaks; fold into the batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups to about 2/3 full.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 18 minutes; remove from pan and let cool on rack.