For all my readers who love baking as much as I do, here’s a lovely lovely recipe for you.
Lime & poppy seeds are omnipresent in every Indian kitchen and I totally love baking with readily available ingredients. Usually when I am in the mood to bake I am always looking for instant gratification. I am talking about times when I just get this sudden urge to bake and I just want to leave whatever I am doing and find myself in the kitchen pulling out all my baking gadgets.
During such times I prefer digging out recipes that either make no use of eggs (although I prefer eating cakes with eggs than without) and those that don’t need butter – its not very easy finding unsalted butter in Bombay. It’s almost always Amul salted butter that gets shoved in your face or a poor quality baking butter (actually margarine) that is offered by the grocery-wala.
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Anyway, this was one of my de-stressing activity that I indulged in recently and totally loved the outcome the next day – yes, I hid away a few for the sake of the photoshoot which usually never happens in the evenings. The flavour and aroma of these muffins had matured overnight and they tasted so wonderful. There is so much that lime can do to uplift your mood isn’t it? It was my first time that I was using lime as the main flavour of a cake and I thoroughly enjoyed the subtle notes it lent to the muffin.
The zesty limes just about balance the sweetness of these muffins and the poppy seeds impart a great texture that makes you want bite after bite of this simple cake. The cupcakes may seem slightly hard on the surface but they will taste awesome anyways.
These muffins are so cheerful in terms of appearance & taste that you will want to bake them over & over again. They make perfect tea time accompaniments. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. If you can help it, hide some for the next day and notice how the taste has gone up a whole new level!
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Ingredients
- 175 grams 3/4th cup sunflower oil (or any odourless vegetable oil)
- 225 grams 1-3/4th cup plain flour (maida)
- 200 grams 1 cup granulated sugar, powdered * see notes
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 150 ml milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest (grated)
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds (khus khus)
- Topping
- 2 teaspoons lime zest (grated rind)
- 1-2 teaspoons poppy seeds (preferably black coloured ones for a more dramatic look)
Instructions
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C/375 degrees F.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt a couple of times into a mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar and stir.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, egg white, sunflower oil, milk, lime juice and grated lime rind (zest) and mix well. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and tip in the poppy seeds. Stir gently to incorporate. The mixture will be a little lumpy which is fine.
- Spoon in the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Each cupcake liner should be filled 2/3rds full. Sprinkle the grated lime zest and poppy seeds to decorate and pop the pan into the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes or till the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve the muffins warm if desired. For best results, serve them after they have completely cooled down or after a few hours (or overnight) - the flavours would have set in beautifully.
Notes
1. The recipe asked for 225 grams caster sugar, since I didn't have any, I measured 200 grams of regular granulated sugar (instead of 225 grams as I prefer cakes that are less sweet) and powdered it in the dry grinder.
2. You may use white or black poppy seeds - both are suitable, but the black one will add more beauty to the muffins.
2. You may use white or black poppy seeds - both are suitable, but the black one will add more beauty to the muffins.
Disclaimer
The nutritional values are only indicative.
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment & rate the recipe below or share a photo on Instagram and tag me @ruchikrandhap
I've always seen Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins..this is a great change! Pics are fabulous!
These look awesome. I have never baked with poppy seeds before. Should try this sometime.
muffins look awesome Shireen
lovely click.. Muffin looks too good
Nice pics..looks delicious muffins..new way
Interesting flavors! I am very curious to try this. It will make a lovely treat for tea time. I will definitely post pictures on sweetlittleluxuries.com (based out of California) as soon as I get a chance to make this!