Orange Poppy Seeds Cake

Another classic recipe from Donna Hay's Modern Classics Book 2 to end this week with a sweet note. This cake is utterly moist and crunching on the poppy seeds is very addictive indeed!

I did pour the syrup over minus the rinds as I don't have time nor the right tool to extract them and I've also reduced the sugar to half a cup which turned out ok for me. Was afraid it will become achingly sweet. However, my guinea pigs said they didn't taste much of the orange flavour... hmmm. Could be the type of orange used I supposed... Sunkist will definitely have a stronger orange flavour!

Orange Poppy Seeds Cake

1/3 cup poppy seeds
3/4 cup milk
200g butter, softened
1 tbsp finely grated orange rind
3/4 cup castor sugar
3 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tspns baking powder
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup shredded orange rind


Method:

Preheat the oven to 160C. Place the poppy seeds and milk in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

Place the butter, orange rind and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift the flour and baking powder over the butter mixture and add the orange juice and poppy seed and milk mixture. Stir to combine and spoon into a 20cm round cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

While the cake is cooking, make the syrup. Place the sugar, orange juice and orange rind in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil for 5-6 minutes or until syrupy.

Pour half of the hot syrup over the hot cake. To serve, cut the warm or cold cake into wedges and pour over the remaining syrup. Serves 8-10.

Ref: Donna Hay's Modern Classics Book 2. You can get the recipe here as well.

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