serves
12–14
prep
45 minutes
cook
45 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
12–14
people
preparation
45
minutes
cooking
45
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Orange poppy seed cake layers
- melted butter, to grease
- 3 oranges
- 3 tbsp poppy seeds
- 125 g (½ cup) sour cream
- 250 g butter, cubed, at room temperature
- 300 g (1⅓ cups) caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 350 g (2⅓ cups) plain flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
Candied orange rind
- 3 oranges
- 220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
Orange blossom water buttercream
- 250 g butter, at room temperature
- 375 g (3 cups) icing sugar, sifted
- 3-4 tsp orange blossom water (or to taste)
Cooling time: 30 minutes (per batch)
Instructions
To make the cake layers, preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two shallow 20 cm (base measurement) round cake tins with melted butter and line the bases with rounds of non-stick baking paper.
Finely grate the rind from the oranges and set aside. Juice the fruit and measure 125 ml (½ cup), reserving the rest for another use. Divide the juice evenly between two medium bowls. Add half the poppy seeds and half the sour cream to each. Set aside.
Use an electric mixer to beat 125g of the butter, 150 g of the sugar and half the orange rind until pale and creamy. Add 2 of the eggs, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Sift together 175 g of the flour and 1½ tsp of the baking powder. Fold half the flour mixture through the butter mixture until just combined. Fold through one quantity of the poppy seed mixture and then the remaining flour mixture until just combined.
Divide the cake mixture evenly between the prepared cake tins and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surfaces. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes come out clean. Stand in the tins for 5 minutes before turning onto wire racks, topside down, to cool (this will take about 30 minutes).
Repeat with the remaining poppy seed mixture and ingredients to make two more cake layers.
Meanwhile, to make the candied orange rind, use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind from the oranges in wide strips. Use a small sharp knife to remove any white pith from the rind. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange rind strips and bring to a simmer. Simmer, without stirring, for 10-15 minutes or until the rind is translucent. Use a fork to transfer the rind from the syrup to a wire rack. Set aside. Reserve the syrup.
To make the orange blossom water buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, icing sugar and orange blossom water in a medium bowl until very pale and creamy. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
To assemble the cake, place a cake layer, topside down, on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread with a little of the buttercream and then top with another layer of cake. Continue to layer with some of the remaining buttercream and cake layers, finishing with a cake layer. Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the outside of the cake so that the cake layers show through. Spread the remaining buttercream on top, swirling as desired. Decorate with the candied orange rind and drizzle with some of the remaining syrup just before serving.
Baker’s tips
• This cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. Read our with her or for hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at . Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via , , and .
Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O’Brien. Food preparation by Kerrie Ray. Creative concept by Lou Fay.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
