Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease your donut pan and set it aside. This will ensure that your donuts slide out easily once baked.
In a small bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Set this aside for later use.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and freshly grated lemon zest. Use your fingers to mix them together, ensuring that the zest is evenly distributed throughout the sugar. This step is crucial for infusing the sugar with lemon flavor.
Add the melted butter into the sugar mixture and beat until combined. You want to see a beautiful blend of creamy butter and sweet sugar.
Next, add in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Beat well until everything is fully incorporated.
Pour in the milk and stir until combined. You should have a smooth and well-mixed batter.
Now, gently add the dry ingredients from the first bowl into the wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together, being careful not to overmix. You want the batter to be just combined.
Spoon or pipe the thick batter into the molds of your prepared pan, filling each mold about two-thirds of the way. This will allow room for rising.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes, or until the tops are firm and lightly golden. You'll know they're ready when they spring back when gently touched.
Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the donuts to cool for at least 10 minutes in the tray. After that, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Resist the temptation to eat one immediately; they’re even better once glazed!
Prepare the glaze by combining the sifted confectioners' sugar and milk in a wide, shallow dish. Whisk until smooth, even if it seems a bit clumpy at first.
Stir in the salt, lemon juice, and additional lemon zest. Adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more lemon juice if it’s too thick or more confectioners' sugar if it’s too thin.
Carefully dip each cooled donut into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off. Let them rest for about five minutes before serving, although I won’t blame you if you can’t wait that long!
