Lemon Poppy Anniversary Cupcakes

I’m not usually the type to celebrate anniversaries, but I found this occasion to be worthy of both a cake and a candle. Tasty Plan turns 1 year old today. Can you believe it? It has been an amazing eighty something recipes, stories, states of mind, and significant moments. I have moved several times, and lived in three different cities (Cambridge, Miami, Brooklyn). Started and ended several jobs. Travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Las Vegas, the Gran Canyon, and Belize. I got engaged, and then married.

When I finished graduate school, I new life would change, but my expectations underestimated what this year would take me through. I’ve gone through highs and lows, extreme happiness and extreme anger. I’ve passed though several crises related to my career. I am still at loss about the meaning of my education in a changing society that no longer sees the architect as a significant figure in shaping daily life. But now I know that will have to figure things out as I go.

Frequent cooking, tireless experimentation, writing and sharing snippets of my life satisfied my need to create. And even though I know that my audience is small, I feel great when a friend tells me that they’ve made a recipe from the blog. Blogging has become and extremely personal, relaxing second job, which I do with passion and conviction. I have learned to cook with ingredients I’ve never used before, and experimented with new techniques. I can’t wait to show you what I’ve been doing with miso paste, or my new interest in gluten free baking (I still need to experiment more before I can write about it).

I hope you enjoy this Lemon Poppy-seed cupcake. It is sweet, tangy, and earthy. Because this cake is egg-based, it is extremely moist and fluffy. The honey-lemon frosting only adds to its decadence.

And lets only hope for an equally interesting second year of cooking, for you!

To more meals together.

Lemon Poppy Anniversary Cupcakes

Makes 8 cupcakes

Adapted from Smitten kitchen

1/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup corn meal
pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter (melt and let come back to room temperature)
¼ cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.

In a clean, dry bowl combine flour, cornmeal and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment beat eggs and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Mix in lemon zest to the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in flour mixture. Once incorporated, add butter and poppy seeds. Mix, until everything is well mixed.

Pour into cupcake liners until ¾ full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until firm. Remove from oven and let cool completely.