Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Lemon and poppy seed is a classic flavour combination and works beautifully in these Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes. The black sugarpaste flowers are an easy decoration you can add if you wish.

Updated 2026 · Originally featured on UKTV Good Food channel’s website.

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An alternative decoration to the black sugarpaste blossom shaped would be candied lemon slices.

Print Recipe

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Makes 12

Equipment

• 12 hole muffin tin lined with paper cases
• Piping bag with a large star tip
• blossom-shaped cutters optional - if making the black sugarpaste flowers

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes:

• 125 g butter unsalted, softened
• 125 g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1 lemon zested and juiced
• 125 g self-raising flour sifted
• 2 tsp poppy seeds

For The Buttercream and Decoration

• 250 g icing sugar sifted
• 80 g butter softened
• juice of half a lemon left over from cupcake batter
• 1 dab yellow gel food colouring optional
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 50 g sugarpaste black - optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180c/ Gas 4.
• Using an electric mixer with a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Next beat in the eggs, lemon zest and poppy seeds.
• Fold in the flour a third at a time until just combined. Fold in half of the lemon juice taking care not to over mix.
• Evenly spoon the batter into cases, two thirds full.
• Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes or until a cocktail stick comes out cleanly.
• Leave the cakes in the tins for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• To make the buttercream you can use an electric mixer with a large bowl again although I prefer using the food processor to stop clouds of icing sugar escaping. Beat the butter until very soft.
• Gradually beat in the icing sugar and poppy seeds. Add a dab of yellow gel food colouring for a brighter yellow if you wish.
• Beat in the remaining lemon juice a little at a time until you have a soft piping consistency. If the weather is warm you may need extra icing sugar to stiffen it. Decant the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
• When the cakes are completely cool, pipe swirls of buttercream on top.
• For the decoration, knead the black sugarpaste until soft. Roll out and stamp out blossoms using shaped cutters. Affix the blossom shapes to the buttercream whilst it is still soft.

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