Cranberry, Lemon & Poppyseed Muffins – Dairy Free

If you’re anything like me, you’ll have been foraging through your cupboards and come across a forgotten jar or tin of something you’re at a loss what to do with. For me, it was a jar of cranberry sauce hidden behind extra‑hot pickled onions and nestled next to a tin of chestnut purée (I have big yummy plans for the chestnuts!).

Other than serving cranberry sauce with roast turkey or spreading it on hot buttered toast, the gastronomic possibilities seemed pretty limited — so I decided to create some dairy‑free muffins, as I’m being asked more and more for dairy/gluten/fat‑free recipes.

Whether you are dairy intolerant or not, these muffins are soft, light, fluffy and totally delicious.

What you need

Muffins

• 150g Trex (found in the chiller section near butter and margarine)
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 20g poppy seeds
• Zest of 1 lemon (save the juice for the icing)
• 1 teaspoon lemon essence
• 250g cranberry sauce
• 180g self‑raising flour

Icing

• 150g icing sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sprinkles to decorate

What you do

Make the muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a 12‑hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Cream the Trex, lemon zest, lemon essence and caster sugar together until soft, light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Fold in the cranberry sauce and poppy seeds.
5. Add the self‑raising flour and mix well.
6. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, filling them two‑thirds full.
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.
8. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Make the icing

1. Mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a smooth icing.
2. Use a teaspoon to spread a little icing on top of each muffin.
3. Finish with your favourite sprinkles.