Description
Elegant orange almond poppy seed cake brings Mediterranean sunshine to your dessert table. Fragrant citrus notes and delicate almond nuances dance together, inviting you to savor each delightful, moist slice with pure pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
- 1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
Flavoring and Enhancing Ingredients:
- 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (27 g) poppy seeds, soaked in water for 30 minutes, then strained
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 large orange (about 1 tablespoon)
Supplementary Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon (10 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature
Main Ingredients:
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Main Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Flavor Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 orange)
- ½ cup (124 g) freshly squeezed orange juice
Supplementary Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons (56.5
Instructions
- Prepare cake pans by greasing and lining three 8-inch round pans with parchment paper, then preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Combine cake flour, baking powder, orange zest, salt, and soaked poppy seeds in a medium mixing bowl, whisking thoroughly to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Incorporate egg whites gradually, mixing completely after each addition and scraping down bowl sides to ensure uniform blending.
- Mix in almond extract, continuing to beat until mixture becomes pale and voluminous.
- Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, mixing on low speed and beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
- Gently fold sour cream into the batter, maintaining its delicate texture.
- Distribute batter equally among prepared pans, ensuring consistent cake layers.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick inserted into cake center.
- Allow cakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.
- Prepare buttercream by beating slightly cold butter until light and airy.
- Gradually incorporate sifted powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Blend vanilla extract, almond extract, and whipping cream into buttercream, beating until smooth and fluffy.
- Create orange curd by whisking sugar, orange juice, and zest in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Temper eggs by slowly adding them to sugar mixture while continuously whisking.
- Cook mixture until thickened, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
- Remove from heat and incorporate cold butter pieces, creating a silky texture.
- Strain curd through fine-mesh sieve and chill for minimum 4 hours.
- Assemble cake by placing first layer on cake plate and spreading buttercream evenly.
- Pipe buttercream rim and fill center with orange curd.
- Repeat layering process with second cake layer.
- Position final layer upside down and apply thin crumb coat of buttercream.
- Freeze cake briefly to set crumb coat, then apply final buttercream layer.
- Decorate with piped buttercream swirls using Wilton 1M tip.
- Refrigerate cake in airtight container and serve at room temperature after 2-3 hours.
Notes
- Precise measurement and room temperature ingredients ensure a perfectly textured cake with balanced flavors.
- Soaking poppy seeds beforehand helps prevent them from sinking and distributes them evenly throughout the batter.
- Whipping egg whites and butter thoroughly creates a light, airy, and voluminous cake texture.
- Straining orange curd removes any cooked egg bits, resulting in a smooth, silky filling.
- Chilling the cake between frosting layers helps stabilize the structure and prevents sliding.
- Allowing the cake to rest at room temperature before serving enhances its taste and softens the buttercream.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 564
- Sugar: 58 g
- Sodium: 236 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 69 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 129 mg