Orange Poppy Seed Tea Cake

So there seems to be a lot of birthdays in my life this month.

And I thought baking would be an ideal way to show how much I care.

On the way home, I scored a beautiful bag of organic oranges from Bob’s local farm stand in Santa Rosa.

Always enjoy passing by Bob’s and looking for the hand painted signs altering customers to the fresh ingredients available.  I was craving oranges. And suddenly I found myself there.

After using half the bag to make fresh squeezed orange juice, I decided maybe I could use the remaining oranges to create a delicious gift.  I began searching my library for options and then I scanned the internet and happened upon a sweet cooking blog Slow Like Honey.

Pictures were beautiful. Directions easy.  I had all the ingredients on hand—SCORE! Now since I was planning on giving multiple gifts, I used four little baking tins versus the 9×5 loaf pan. **Disclaimer** If you are making this for yourself or your family go with the large loaf pan. The full size slice offers more yummy goodness per square inch.

Here is a quick look fresh out of the oven….Hmmm

What’s it look like out of the pan?

On to the finishing syrup. Look at it bubble, bubble…..and glisten.

And now for the packaging. In to the box….

Final wrap.

Delivery time.  I hope the special birthday recipients like it.  If not, I will more than happily take it back. Ain’t no hurt feelings here.

Orange Poppy Seed Cake

Adapted from Slow Like Honey & Nick Malgieri’s Perfect Cakes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup organic evaporated cane juice sugar
3 organic vegetarian fed eggs
8 ounces of buttermilk
1/2 cup poppy seeds
9-inch springform pan or a 9 by 5 loaf pan

Orange syrup:
2 tablespoons orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice
¾ cup organic evaporated can juice sugar

Directions:

1. Step

Grease a 9″ springform pan. Line the bottom with greased parchment paper cut to size. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Step

Combine and mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Step

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a  heavy duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the mixture is very light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla (extra I added 1/2 tsp.). One at a time, add the eggs, making sure to beat the batter until it is smooth after each addition.

4. Step

Decrease mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides with a spatula. Beat in the buttermilk followed by the rest of the flour mixture. Fold in the poppy seeds for the final mix.

5. Step

Scrape the batter into prepared pan and bake for about an hour or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Step

To prepare the syrup, combine orange juice, zest and 3/4 c sugar in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

7. Step

After the cake is baked, poke about 20 holes into the cake with a skewer. Gradually pour or spoon the syrup over the top of the cake until it is absorbed. Collect the leaking syrup (if any) and spoon back over the cake. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool it. Remove the sides of the springform pan, transfer the cake to a serving plate and remove the parchment paper underneath.