This orange and poppy seeds cake is soft, citrusy and has a delicate crunch. It's quick & easy to make, perfect with a cup of tea and won't hang around for long.
You can include it as one of the sweet offerings on a homemade afternoon tea.
Why I love This Orange Loaf Cake
- Flavour: Bright and zesty thanks to the real orange juice and zest.
- Texture: It's moist and stays fresh for days.
- Simple: This is a quick and easy orange loaf cake recipe to make, requiring pantry staples only.
- Versatile: It's elegant enough for guests but easy enough for easy day baking and scoffing.
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Don't miss my other drizzle cakes including orange semolina cake, lime loaf cake and a stunning lemon drizzle bundt cake.
Ingredients Notes
- Orange zest & juice: The star flavour - use fresh for best results.
- Poppy seeds: These tiny black seeds add crunch to the sponge cake and visual appeal. They can be found in the baking aisle in most supermarkets.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, preferably free-range.
- Flour: I've used a mix of plain flour and baking powder, but you can use self raising flour if preferred (remember to omit the baking powder).
- Orange extract (optional): Use for an extra dash of orange flavour.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls.
- Electric hand mixer or a whisk.
- Zester or microplane
- Hand citrus juicer
- 1lb Loaf pan
How to Make Orange and Poppy Seeds Cake
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Finely grate the zest of the oranges. Reserve 1 tablespoon of it, then rub the rest into the caster sugar using your fingers.
Step 2. Add the margarine/ butter and cream, using electric beaters, for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between each addition.
Step 3. Add the poppy seeds, orange juice and orange extract (if using). Mix in.
Step 4. Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl and use a large metal spoon to fold it in until no streaks of flour remain.
Step 5. Spoon the mixture into a prepared baking tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes. It is cooked sufficiently once a cocktail pick poked into the centre comes out clean.
Step 6. Just before the cake is cooked make the topping by stirring the remaining zest with orange juice and granulated sugar. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes over the cake using a cocktail pick and then spoon the topping over the cake. Leave it to cool completely.
Storage Instructions
Storage
This orange and poppy seeds cake should be stored in an airtight tin at room temperature, where it will keep for at least 3 days.
To make the cake last even longer, it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Let it come back to room temperature to ensure the best flavour and texture.
Freeze
This orange loaf cake can be frozen. Cut and wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months. To defrost, pull out slices as required and let thaw at room temperature for several hours.
Expert Tips
Top Tip: Zest the oranges before cutting them in half to juice them. It is so much easier this way around.
- Use the correct tin size: This recipe requires a 1lb loaf pan. Do not put it into a larger tin as there will be insufficient batter to fill it adequately.
- Measure ingredients accurately: The best way to do this is to use gram measures and use digital kitchen scales.
- Add the drizzle topping as soon as the cake comes of of the oven: The drizzle soaks into the cake best when the cake is hot.
- Cool before cutting: If you cut this orange loaf cake whilst it is still warm it is likely to fall apart. Wait until it has cooled completely.
Variations
- Blood Oranges: Simply swap regular oranges for blood oranges when they are in season to create a spectacularly colourful blood orange loaf cake.
- Lemon and poppy seeds: Swap the orange juice and zest for lemon.
- Add herbs: Orange pairs well with thyme, mint and rosemary. Mix 1 tablespoon of one of these herbs into the cake batter for an extra flavour dimension.
- Rosemary and orange cake: Include 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary in the cake batter and replace the drizzle topping with 45ml rosemary syrup mixed with 45ml orange juice and 1 tablespoon of orange zest. Drizzle it over the top of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Omit the poppy seeds: The result will be a zesty orange drizzle loaf cake.
Serving Suggestions
- With tea, coffee or a glass of milk: Just as it is.
- As part of afternoon tea: Serve it after the scones with other small desserts, pastries or cakes such as lemon posset pots, butterfly cakes or coconut macaroons.
- As dessert: Top slices of your orange and poppy seeds cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, clotted cream or whipped cream plus a few fresh raspberries.
Frequently Asked Questions
I do not recommend using bottled orange juice or juice from a carton as they can be much more concentrated in flavour. You need fresh oranges for the zest anyway, to stick with fresh juice for the most natural of flavours.
This can happen if the cake is underbaked. It's best to insert a cocktail pick into the centre of the cake to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the cake is baked. If batter is evident on the pick, the cake should be baked slightly longer.
Yes, you can. It will be a more basic rendition of this recipe for orange and poppyseeds cake.
Have you made this recipe or orange and poppy seeds cake? Please rate the recipe or leave a comment - I love hearing how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
Orange and Poppy Seeds Cake
Equipment
- 1 x 1lb loaf pan
Ingredients
- 125 g Baking margarine or butter (softened)
- 125 g Caster sugar Golden or white
- 2 Eggs large, free range
- 150 g Plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1½ teaspoons Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Oranges zest plus 45ml orange juice for the cake and 60ml orange juice for the drizzle topping
- ½ teaspoon Orange extract (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds
- 60 g Granulated sugar
Instructions
- Grease and line a 1lb loaf pan with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180℃/ 350℉
- Finely grate the zest of the oranges. Reserve 1 tablespoon of it, then put the rest into a medium-sized mixing bowl and rub it into the caster sugar using your fingers.
- Add the margarine/ butter and use electric beaters to cream the ingredients for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Add the poppy seeds, 3 tablespoons (45ml) orange juice and orange extract (if using). Mix in.
- Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl and use a large metal spoon to fold it in until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix the batter as the cake will turn out rubbery.
- Spoon the mixture into a prepared baking tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes. It is cooked sufficiently once a cocktail pick poked into the centre comes out clean. If raw batter is still evident, return the cake to the oven for 3-4 more minutes and test again.
- In the last few minutes of baking time, prepare the drizzle topping by stirring the remaining zest with 60ml orange juice and the granulated sugar.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes over the cake using a cocktail pick and then spoon the topping over the cake. Leave it to cool completely.
Notes
- Use the correct tin size: This recipe requires a 1lb loaf pan. Do not put it into a larger tin as there will be insufficient batter to fill it adequately.
- Measure ingredients accurately: The best way to do this is to use gram measures and use digital kitchen scales.
- Zest the oranges before cutting them in half to juice them. It is so much easier this way around.
- Add the drizzle topping as soon as the cake comes of of the oven: The drizzle soaks into the cake best when the cake is hot.
- Cool before cutting: If you cut this orange loaf cake whilst it is still warm it is likely to fall apart. Wait until it has cooled completely.
- Storage: This orange and poppy seeds cake should be stored in an airtight tin at room temperature, where it will keep for at least 3 days.
- Freeze: Cut and wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months. To defrost, pull out slices as required and let thaw at room temperature for several hours
Madiha says
This was delicious - thankyou for sharing the recipe.
I do think the syrup could be warmed up before adding to dissolve the sugar. Otherwise followed everything exactly. I don’t know why it’s not been rated at all
Jane Coupland says
Hey there Madiha - there's nothing to stop you dissolving the sugar by heating it up, but you do loose the lovely bit of crunch they sugar crystals give if you do that. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it - ratings are hard to come by and this is a recipe only published this year - hopefully you'll have now encourage others to try it and rate it too 🙂