Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

I have to say that I’m still finding it hard to find the inspiration to ramble before recipes, so my thinking is maybe that talking about it will ignite inspiration. I guess the thing about writing is that if one doesn’t feel like it, one finds it a rather hard thing to force. It makes me wonder how people who are paid to write for a living, something which I’m interested in, manage to do it so regularly and to, in some cases, such a good standard. Perhaps it’s the fact that they usually have something defined to write about and therefore it doesn’t have to come entirely off the top of their head. Then again, for many money is inspiration, something necessary which draws out the best, and worst, in people. I like to think that this particular recipe has drawn my best!

许多人过去六莫问nths how I intended to make money from this blog. Of course this is unlikely ever to happen, nor do I want it to happen – I blog because I love to both cook and write. Does anyone else have any defined views on this topic? My opinion is that I always wanted this to be a personal space in which to share enjoyable recipes with people who care. If it helps me showcase what talent I may or may not have then great, but I would be sad if it ever because some kind of “cash cow”. Clearly this is going to sound like I knew I would find inspiration and that it was purposefully ironic that I rambled about lacking the inspiration to write – that wasn’t the intention.

Anyway, time to turn indulgence away from myself and towards some rather divine cupcakes. I’d advise my readers only to make these if either you really bloody love cupcakes, or if you have a rather full house – they are very sweet. I guess this isn’t really a criticism of the cakes, but a criticism of my cupcake eating ability and of the lonely nature of my house – they really are great. However, I can only keep a little of the thanks for such lovely cakes for myself as I used a recipe from the inimitable GoodFood website. Indeed, it is very nearly unchanged, something I suppose one should be ashamed of – but why would one change what is already perfect?

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes {recipe}

Makes 16-18

Ingredients:

• 225g self-raising flour

• 175g golden caster sugar

• Zest of 2 lemons

• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

• 3 eggs

• 100g natural or greek yoghurt

• 175g butter gently melted

For the Icing:

• 225g butter, softened (margarine works but it’ll be a little loose)

• 400g icing sugar

• Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C, line a 16 hole muffin tin with cupcake cases. Mix the flour, sugar, lemon zest and poppy seeds together in a bowl. Beat together the eggs and the yoghurt until smooth, add this along with the melted butter to the flour mixture. Whisk until smooth and divide equally into the paper cases, you may need a couple more than 16. Bake for around 25 minutes, or until they stop making cake noises. Allow to cool for a couple of hours.

2. To make the icing simply beat all the ingredients together until smooth. I’m really bad at this, so my icing isn’t particularly inspirational – except in taste. Finish off with a few extra poppy seeds. Allow the icing to set a little and eat!

Cost:This whole batch of cupcakes should cost between£2.80and£3.00to bake. They are simply divine and I insist you must all try them. I’m afraid due to my lack of icing skills they don’t look that fancy, but they are so moist and tasty.