Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

Let's celebrate Friday with an Orange and Poppy Seed Cake, yes?



Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

For the Cake:
4 eggs, at room temperature
Zest of 2 oranges (I used blood oranges because I grow them, but any orange will work.)
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
300ml sour cream
1/2 cup poppy seeds

For the Frosting:
150g cream cheese, softened
1 cup icing sugar sifted
1 tablespoon orange juice

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter the base and sides of a 20cm round springform cake pan and line the base with baking paper.

Sift the flour, baking power, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar and orange zest on high speed for 5 minutes, until thick and pale. Turn the speed to low and add the oil and the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the sour cream and poppy seeds.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and putting it on a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar a little at a time. Add enough orange juice to give you a spreading consistency.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.