This amazing recipe for Poppy Seed Orange Cake is so delicious you will be craving them for days after you’ve baked them.
I love an orange cake, in fact, I love any cake with citrus flavors and this recipe is one of my personal favorites. Not only is it packed with orangey, citrus elements but has poppy seeds added to give it extra texture, and a gorgeous orange glaze to top it off.
Why This Recipe Works
- Using fresh orange juice and zest ensures you get the most flavor in this wonderful citrus cake.
- Using a combination of oil and butter makes this cake super moist.
- The addition of a crunchy orange glaze gives texture alongside the poppy seeds making this cake extra special.
This recipe came to me after I’d perfected my Ultimate Orange Cake, I wanted another orange cake recipe to add to my repertoire. I needed to make it a little different so I added poppy seeds and decided to make them into mini cakes. If you like my orange cake recipe you might also like to try my Lemon Drizzle Cake.
What Oranges Are Best
When Baking with Oranges, I like to use Navel or Sunkissed Oranges or if you can find them, Cara Cara oranges have a wonderfully sweet, tangy flavor that’s very unique.
How to make poppy seed Orange cake
- Combine the flour and baking soda.
- In a mixer add eggs and sugar, beat until pale and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients to the mixer on a slow speed.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Step by Step Instructions
In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together eggs and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
On low speed add oil, butter and orange juice.
Add the poppy seeds and orange zest, mix until combined.
Pour batter in a cake pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Using an ice cream scoop to add the batter to the cake pan keeps things easy as well as uniform in size!
Allow to cool and glaze each cake.
Top with a mini orange slice.
Serve and enjoy!
Quantities
This recipe can be made using a Muffin pan to making 18-24 individual cakes, a Bundt cake, or two loaf cakes. Cooking Times Are in the recipe.
Tips and Variations
- To get the most juice from your fresh orange you can heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds. this also works with lemons and limes too.
- If you aren’t using a liner in your cake pan make sure you grease the pan well or you may have trouble getting the cakes out.
- Use an ice cream scoop to measure out the batter if you want to make all your cakes a uniform size.
- You can frost these cakes, I suggest a cream cheese frosting or a buttercream frosting. However, they are just fine without!
Other Great Citrus Desserts
FAQs
Poppy seeds are good for you, they contain thiamin, folate and other essential minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and more. They are also known to help relieve exhaustion, decrease anxiety and help with a good nights sleep. Do you need any more reasons to use them in your baking?
These cakes are even better the next day, you can keep them in an airtight container for up to three days.
You can freeze these cakes, make sure the cakes are cooled completely then wrap them individually in saran wrap and place in the freezer in a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to three months.
You can substitute poppy seeds for chia seeds, but poppy seeds are definitely best!
Did you make this?
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Let’s Make Poppy Orange Seed Cake
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup butter
- 1¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice 3-4 large oranges
- 3 tablespoons orange zest
- ½ cup poppy seeds
For The Glaze:
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice 1-2 orange
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease your pans and set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour and baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together eggs and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer running on low speed add oil slowly until combined and repeat with the butter. Add orange juice poppy seeds and zest and keep mixing slowly until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined (being careful not to overmix).
- NOTE: depending on the brand of flour you use, the batter may be quite wet.
- Add batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes for the muffin pan. ( 50-60 minutes for a 12 cup/10-inch bundt pan, or 40-50 minutes for 2 loaf pans or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean)
- While the cakes bake, mix together the orange juice, zest, and sugar to make the glaze.
- Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before adding the glaze.
- When the cakes are done and are still warm remove them from the pan, transfer them to a wire rack with baking paper, prick the warm cakes all over with a skewer and then pour over the glaze.
- Place a second sheet of baking paper next to the cooling rack. Transfer the cooling rack with the cakes to the clean paper and pour the glaze that dripped off the cakes onto the baking paper over the cakes. You may have to repeat this step a few times. Once glazed the juice will sink into the cakes and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping.
Tips + Notes
- To get the most juice from your fresh orange you can heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds. this also works with lemons and limes too.
- If you aren’t using liners in your cake pan make sure you grease the pan well or you may have trouble getting the cakes out.
- Use an ice cream scoop to measure out the batter if you want to make all your cakes a uniform size.
Paula says
This cake was wonderful – light and fruity! Will make again!
Erren Hart says
That’s so great! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Alison says
I made this without making any changes and it tasted amazing! So fresh tasting!
Erren Hart says
Yay! Love to hear this! 🙂
Kelly J says
I made this as a loaf. It was fantastic and so full of flavor! Thank you!
Erren Hart says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kelly! 🙂
Hailey says
I made these using a muffin pan. Really delightful! Love the crunch of the glaze!
Erren Hart says
Great to heat, Hailey!
Anne says
These were delicious and the best cakes that I have made in a long time. Thank you for inspiring me!
Erren's Kitchen says
I love to hear this Anne, I’m so glad you liked the recipe 🙂
MandyB says
These are absolutely delicious! What a great recipe.
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Mandy 🙂