Cupcakes!

I bought some poppy seeds around Christmas, for no other reason than just loving them. 

Today, I finally decided to put them to use, and bake some cupcakes. Lemon's always the obvious choice, but I thought I'd get some chocolate and cranberry involved too.

When I bake, I make things up as I go along, I'm not one for following recipes, or measuring as I bake - I go by eye, and texture. When it doesn't work, I start again, and learn what not to do.

To create these yummy cakes, you will require...

• about half, or just a little more, a packet of butter
• soft brown sugar
• an egg
• self-raising flour
• a pinch of baking powder
• poppy seeds
• the juice of one lemon
• 3 or 4 pieces of milk chocolate, grated

Get your cupcake cases ready - grate a little chocolate in the bottom, and perhaps add a few poppy seeds.

Now, mix the butter and sugar until it becomes creamy, then mix in your egg (it might look a little curdled now, but don't worry). 

Cover the lot in the flour and the baking powder (i know self raising should rise by itself, but i always add baking powder, just to be sure), keep on adding and mixing until it gets nice and thick, but still nice and smooth. 

Now add your poppy seeds - I added loads, but I can't get enough of them - and your lemon juice. If your mixture gets a bit too runny again, just add more flour.

Once your mixture seems about right, spoon your it into the cases, fill 'em up... nothing wrong with a big cupcake if it's too much. 

Now whack them in the oven at 180°C, for about 20 minutes or until they're nice and golden on top. 

Now leave them to cool on a tray, and mix your icing, should you wish some.

While mine cooked, I left a handfull of dried cranberries in a bowl of freshly boiled water and a tiny bit of sugar. To make my icing, I used Icing sugar and the cranberry infused water. I cheated too, and added a touch of red food dye (i used a little much). Then I covered my cupcakes in the icing, and sprinkled some more seeds on top, just for good measure. 

Now that mine have cooled, I shall go and try one....

Messy, but the best baking always is!

...they're very squishy. Not as lemony as i'd hoped, but otherwise very, very tasty!

The chocolate at the bottom has set nicely.

Happy baking!

Let me know how yours go if you give them a shot!

T.x