Surprising fact about me:
I love chocolate.
Oh wait, that’s not surprising at all, is it? Here’s something that is surprising: Every once in a while, I crave something other than chocolate. Yesterday afternoon, for example, I was craving… lemon poppy seed?
Okay, who are you, and what have you done with Katie?
The problem is, there are no poppy seed recipes in my archives.
This was a job for my good friends over at the Candle Cafe. I’ve owned their cookbook for years, and you know how many recipes I’ve made from it? Zero.
I used to be so bad about buying cookbooks. I’d flip through the recipes, bookmark pages, and then never make any. Therefore, I’ve forced myself to completely stop buying cookbooks in the first place. Before I purchase new ones, I ought to show some love to those I already own!
So yesterday, I dug out the Candle Cafe Cookbook and assembled ingredients for their lemon poppy seed muffins. However, if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I am incapable of following a recipe. True to form, I abandoned CC’s recipe halfway through and did my own thing.
Where’s the 12th mini muffin? In mah belly!
Lil Lemon Poppies
(Adapted from the Candle Cafe Cookbook)
- very scant 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 c milk of choice
- 1 c spelt flour (or white, ww pastry, or even try gluten-free mix!)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 c butter-type spread (full-fat), applesauce, oil, or a combo (if using oil or applesauce, add 1/16 tsp salt)
- 2 tbsp sugar (I used less than 2tbsp because I used stevia)
- 1/2 tsp powdered ginger (You can omit this.)
Preheat oven to 355 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix liquid ingredients (and poppy seeds), then combine and stir until just mixed. Don’t overmix. Pour into mini liners or spray a mini muffin tin with oil, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 cute lil mini muffins.
If desired, you can top them with my Easiest-Ever Icing.
But they really don’t even need a glaze; these babies are perfect on their own.
The bake sale is over!
For the incredible results: Bake-Sale Results.
I know a lot of you want to know more details about the sale, and those of you who bid are chomping (literally!) at the bit to know exactly when you’ll get your delicious yummies. Please be patient with me; I have a terrifying amount of emails in my inbox at the moment, and there’s no way I can get to them all today. Please remember that I have other obligations; running the bake sale is not my job.
I’ll publish a big “bake sale wrap up” post tomorrow, listing the amount we raised and giving instructions on what to do next. (I’ll also be sending emails to the winners in the next few days; as I said, please be patient!)
Question of the Day:
Do you bookmark recipes from cookbooks or blogs, then never make any?
Or are you the kind of person who sees a recipe (either in a cookbook or a blog) and immediately goes out and makes it that night? And can you follow a recipe to a tee, or do you improvise as you go along?
these look really good! Can you maybe make a single serving version of this too? 🙂
I can put it on my to-do list lol!
I made these tonight and they were absolutely wonderful. My husband also liked them a lot-so it passes the test for all tastes because we have a WIDE chasm between us on what we consider good food;) I wanted to post this because I did use applesauce (a smidge more than called for because I always add a little extra when doing this substitution) and it was perfectly moist and yummy. Thank you so much for this blog. BTW, I think I may have an addiction to your chocolate frosting shots. I may need an intervention soon.
LOL no! Don’t get an intervention… there’s nothing wrong with being a chocolate addict. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise 😉 ;).
Yes! Lemon-poppyseed muffins have been an addiction since I was little. Love that I can now make a healthy version!
Oh my, this is definitely the next recipe I’m going to try! I think I might make 6 average-sized muffins instead of 12 minis. Any idea if I’d need to adjust the baking time? Most recipes I have for average-sized muffins suggest 30 minutes as a baking time… Any ideas?
As usual, your food photography is just gorgeous <3 And the recipes? Even more so ^^
Sorry, I don’t know. But good luck!! 🙂
Hey Katie – I think I baked them for about 25 minutes. They turned out gorgeously golden on top, and soft and moist inside. FABULOUS recipe, thanks so much!
Hi!!!!!
Is there any way I could substitute anything for the sugar, Thanks!!!!!!!
Just wondering, if the batter supposed to come out really dry? My batter almost seemed dough-like when I spooned it into the muffin tins. They baked fine but I was just wondering if I did something wrong!
No, it shouldn’t… what flour did you use? Or maybe your oven is more powerful than mine and you overcooked them?
¨Lemon poppyseed ANYTHING is my favorite flavor combo…Question…Did you use vegan butter or oil to confection the ones you made in your photo?…I want them to look and taste just as fantastic as your own PERSONAL version!! Thank you for answering my dream (mini) muffin prayers!!!..Finally a healthy, petite and gorgeous version of a classic.
It was quite awhile ago that I made them, but I think I used Earth Balance!
I just made these!
I had to make a few little changes because I didn’t have all the ingredients,
I didn’t have maple syrup so I mix two tablespoons of warm water with three of brown sugar
I also didn’t have lemon (yes I know, I tried to make lemon muffins without lemons!) but I used orange instead
and I cooked them for only 8 minutes, but that must be something to do with my oven cause for every recipe I have to cook the food for less than the time that the recipe says
thanks for posting this! I just stumbled upon your blog and I love it! I’m definitely coming back,
do you have any idea how many calories do these have?
Sorry, I don’t have the nutritional info for these. But I’m glad they turned out well!
You think Chia seeds could be substituted for sesame seeds?
Sorry, I don’t know.
Went ahead and used Chia and I’d say quite successful! Love the added benefits of chia! Guess this answers the question whether I follow recipes to a tee 🙂
Awesome! I am really glad it worked… I might have to try your idea too! 🙂
I meant poppy seeds…duh!! lol