Orange Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
This is a gorgeous alternative to the classic lemon version. Zingy orange zest makes for a really bright bake, with the glaze just cutting through the acidity enough. This cake comes together in one bowl and requires no specialist equipment or ingredients! This is also a great way to use up any oranges (or clementines/tangerines/mandarins) that have been sitting in your fruit bowl for a while. All of these fruits will work, you just may want to use 2-3 if using smaller fruits vs a regular orange!
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Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 260 g (1 ⅓ cups) Sugar
- 1 (1) Large Orange, Zest and Juice See Notes below for other fruit
- 113 g (½ cup) Unsalted Butter Room Temperature
- 3 (3) Large Eggs
- 260 g (2 cups) All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) Baking Powder
- 60 ml (¼ cup) Milk
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Poppy Seeds
For the Glaze
- 220 g (2 cups) Powdered Sugar
- 3 tbsp (3 tbsp) Milk
- Orange Zest Optional, to decorate
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350℉/180℃. Grease/Line a 4x10 inch loaf pan (about 1.5lbs).
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and orange zest. Rub together using your fingertips (this creates an 'orange sugar' which gives a lovely strong orange flavor).
- Add the butter and cream together using an electric/stand mixer - until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and combine.
- Add the flour and baking powder and fold together. Finally, add the juice from the orange, milk and poppy seeds and fold until smooth!
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake about 55 minutes - 1 hour. Check on the cake around the 40 minute mark, if the top is browning too much, place a piece of aluminium foil on top (wrapping around the edges of the pan).
- Check the cake is fully baked by inserting toothpick/cake tester - if it comes out clean, let the cake cool (if not, bake a few minutes longer).
For the Glaze
- Once the cake has fully cooled, make the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar and milk into a thick but pourable glaze. Pour this over the cake (much easier if you remove the cake from the pan first and place it on a wire rack).
- Top with orange zest and let set before slicing and serving!
Notes
Orange alternatives:
You can use anything that resembles an orange flavor for this cake! Mandarins, clementines, tangerines etc are great options, and often we are more likely to have these in our fruit bowl/fridge. Use 2-3 depending on their size for the same results!
For sumo oranges, or anything really large - use about 1/2 - 3/4 for the same results.
Orange juice: the total amount you want in the cake should be about 1/2 cup.