When I get bored of biscuits, brownies, or even cupcakes with two inches worth of frosting on top - I love nothing more than to make these lemon drizzle poppy seed cupcakes.
I found the original recipe for these cupcakes in The Guardian about a year ago. The recipe is by Dan Leopard, except his recipe calls for almonds, instead of poppy seeds, and is baked in a loaf tin as a full cake, rather than cupcakes.
These cupcakes are sweet, tarty, and absolutely delicious. While they're not topped in swirly frosting, they are covered with a tangy drizzle made of icing sugar and lemon juice. Throw on a bit of lemon zest on the top, and these cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. (Or for just eating at home, alone, watching Law & Order.)
Ingredients: (Makes about 10 large cupcakes)
50g unsalted butter, melted
50ml sunflower oil
Finely grated zest 3 lemons
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs
150g plain flour2 tbsp cornflour
2½ tsp baking powder
90ml lemon juice
75g icing sugar
Poppy seeds
Directions
While this recipe was originally suited to make a lemon drizzle cake in a loaf tin, you can easily make cupcakes from it. Preheat the oven to 180c (fan-assisted 160c/350F/gas mark 4).
Melt butter (I usually just use the microwave) and then pour into a mixing bowl with the sunflower oil.
Add the zest from 2 of the lemons, the sugar and eggs and whisk until it’s smooth, slightly bubbly and then toss in some poppy seeds. There’s no exact measurement for how many poppy seeds you want to use, I just usually put in a bit at a time until it looks like there’s enough in. (Depends on how much you like poppy seeds, really!)
In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour, flour, baking powder and then sift half of the flour/baking powder mixture into the butter/egg batter. (I never actually use a sifter because (shock!) I don’t have one. I just add the flour/baking powder mixture in a bit at a time and it works just fine.) Beat in 75ml of the lemon juice, and then sift in the remaining flour.
Fill either your ten large muffin papers, or dozen or so smaller cupcake papers about half way to the top.
Put into the oven and let bake for about 15 minutes, keeping your eye on it. (Leopard’s recipe say to bake the loaf style cake for 45 minutes, but mine usually cooks in 20.)
When done, let cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining 15ml of lemon juice, and 75g of icing sugar. (You can always add a bit more lemon juice, depending on how tart you like your drizzle.)
Then, add a bit of the drizzle to each cooled cupcake, and use the remaining zest from one lemon as a garnish for each cupcake.
Enjoy!