Get your toothbrush and dental floss ready, because this week’s cake and bacon project is all about poppy seeds.

With Remembrance Day coming up, it seems only fitting to do a tribute to the poppy. Most of us buy one to wear on our coats, but poppy seeds are fun to use in baking too.

(A single bag seems to last forever and using poppy seeds in the spring or summer is a subtle nudge to remember Canada’s fallen on days other than Nov. 11.)

Arm yourself with a bowl and spatula, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and let’s get going.

The muffin:

750ml (3 cups) all purpose flour

375ml (1 ½ cups) white sugar

7ml (1 ½ tsp) baking powder

5ml (1 tsp) salt

10ml (2 tsp) poppy seeds

3 whole eggs

175ml (¾ cup) oil

375ml (1 ½ cups) milk

Juice of half a medium-sized orange

5ml (1 tsp) grated orange rind

 

Mix the dry ingredients together first to avoid ruining a delicious bite of muffin with a baking powder bomb. Make a well in the centre and add all the liquid ingredients. Squeeze the orange by hand.

 

I find that a well in the centre of the dry ingredients is an easy way to mix your liquid ingredients semi-separately without having to dirty up a second bowl.

 

Mix it. Mix it good.

 

Your batter will be lumpy. Don’t fight it. Just let it be lumpy if it wants to.

 

Fill your muffin papers slightly less than full. If you’re not using muffin papers, don’t forget to grease the pan.

 

Give them 15-20 minutes in the oven. A toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin should come out dry.

 

 If you want a (slightly) healthier version, add a handful of sunflower seeds and a handful of flax seeds to the batter. Try replacing half the white flour with whole wheat, and sprinkling in some sliced almonds will add a little protein.

 

So as you’re brunching away on muffins and coffee on Friday morning, take a moment and don’t forget to remember.