Saturday bake...

Poppy Seed & Orange Cupcakes (makes 10-12)

2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp hot milk
85g / 3oz butter, softened
85g / 3 oz caster sugar
finely grated rind of half an orange (or clementine!)
 1 large egg, lightly beaten
100g / 3.5oz self raising flour

• Preheat the oven to 180 (degrees C)
• Place the poppy seeds and hot milk in a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes
• Put the butter, sugar and orange rind in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy
• Gradually beat in the egg
• Sift the flour in and fold gently into mixture (using a metal spoon) along with the poppy seeds and milk
• Spoon into cases
• Put into the oven for 20 minutes

For the icing:
85g / 3 oz butter
finely grated rind of half an orange
175g / 6oz icing sugar
1 - 2 tbsp orange juice

• Put the butter and orange rind in a bowl and beat until fluffy
• Gradually beat in icing sugar and orange juice
• All that is left is to artistically decorate your little cupcakes 
• Eat!

The recipe is from the Marks and Spencer Easy Cupcakes book and is really quite unusual.  I like the delicate crunch from the poppy seeds and the subtle orange flavouring is sublime.  Be careful with the icing though, it can overpower the cake!  Baking is not really what was intended for this blog (see the title for the clue), but I thought it might be a nice diversion to have the odd recipe here and there.  I'm no whizz in the kitchen but it certainly is a relaxing, gentle Saturday afternoon activity.  Happy baking and feel free to share your successes and favourite recipes!