Sometimes all you want to do is take a step back and move away from the sheer variety and concoction of flavours that you will normally find in a cupcakery.
Sometimes all you need is a basic old fashioned mix of flavours to make the perfect cupcakes!
I am ashamed that I have not put this recipe up before now as this is the cupcake that you can find in all high street coffee houses! This is the Lemon and Poppy Seed cupcake.
What is needed to make the cakes
210g Stork margarine
220g Golden caster sugar
250g Self-raising flour
4 Organic free range eggs
Zest of 2 whole lemons (the more lemon zest the stronger the lemon flavour will be)
1tbsp Toasted poppy seeds
4 tbsp Corn flour
2 tsp Baking powder
8-9tbsp Milk
What is needed for the icing
150g Golden Caster Sugar
50g Icing sugar
1 tsp Poppy seeds (if required)
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
Set the oven to 160 Degrees and line a cupcake baking tray with paper cupcake liners. Place the Stork in a bowl and start whisking. This is a very important stage which needs to be done correctly. You will know the butter is ready for the next stage when the colour goes from a yellow colour to a pale, white glossy colour and texture. Once the colour changes, add the golden caster sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time making sure that each egg is well mixed in before adding the next. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, corn flour and baking powder and leave to one side. To the ‘liquid mixture’ add the poppy seeds and lemon zest, ensuring that they are distributed evenly throughout the mixture.
(the worst thing is when the poppy seeds and lemon zest has not been mixed well, and a client taking a bite out of your cupcake, only to get a mouthful of pure poppy seed and lemon zest- NOT NICE!)
The next step is to add the ‘dry mixture’ meaning the flour, cornflour and baking powder mix. Ensure that you add this 1/3 at a time and mix well between each addition. DO NOT use a whisk as this can destroy the much needed ‘air bubbles’ within the mixture which makes your cakes light and fluffy. You must remember that this is a crucial stage in the baking process and that you should touch the mixture as little as possible once the chemical reaction between the baking powder, flour and the liquid mixture begins. Use a wooden spoon and fold the mixture making sure not to bang the sides. Once all of the dry mixture has been added and folded in, then you will feel that the constancy is a little thick, this is where the milk comes in. Add the milk and fold again. Carefully spoon the mixture into the paper liners ensuring that the liners are 1/3 full, this will leave ample space for your cupcakes to rise without spilling over the tops of the liners.
Place the cupcake batter into the oven for 18 to 20 minutes. If the tops of the cupcakes spring back, once touched, then they are ready to be taken out of the oven. In addition, you can test if a cupcake is cooked or not is to insert a skewer into the center of each cake, when removing the skewer it should be clear, with maybe a few crumbs attached. Once the cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and leave them to stand in the baking tray for 10 minutes. This ensures that when cooling, the cupcakes retain the shape of the cupcake tin. After 10 minutes, take the cupcakes out and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Now you need to make the icing. Place a saucepan on the hob at a medium heat. Add the caster sugar to the pan with the lemon juice (2 lemons) and mix well until the sugar has turned to liquid. BE CAREFUL! I cannot stress enough that the liquid sugar is extremely hot and will cause a lot of damage if it touches your skin, so please be careful. Once the sugar has melted, add the poppy seeds, lemon zest and slowly add the icing sugar, this should thicken the mixture. Turn the heat off set to once side and using a skewer make small holes in the tops of each of your cupcakes. I would recommend making around 8 holes in each and carefully pour the melted sugar over each cupcake. The hole in the cupcake will help to get the icing into the center of the cupcakes, creating a sweet, sticky and delicious drizzle throughout eat cupcake.
I like to finish them off with a sprinkle of poppy seeds. And there you have it, a traditional Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcake! ENJOY! xxx
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