Poppyseed Orange Cupcakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 stick butter, at room temperature, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 None eggs
1 2/3 cups self-rising flour, sifted
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp poppy seeds
None None Zest of one orange
None None For the Syrup
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
None None Zest of one orange

Preparation

Preheat oven to moderate, 350\u00b0F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl.
Lightly fold flour into creamed mixture alternately with combined milk and juice, beginning and ending with flour. Mix in poppy seeds and zest.
Spoon mixture evenly into muffin cups until 3/4 full. Bake 20-25 minutes until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one cupcake comes out clean.
To make syrup: Combine juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil on high, stirring. Reduce heat to low and simmer, without stirring, 5 minutes. Add zest and cook a further 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Cool cupcakes in pan for a few minutes, before transferring to a rack over a baking sheet. With a toothpick, pierce cakes in several places. Spoon a little syrup over each cake. Allow to soak in. Serve with remaining syrup.