Description
Mediterranean-inspired Orange Almond Poppy Seed Cake delivers a delightful balance of citrus and nutty flavors. Elegant yet simple, this dessert promises a delectable experience you’ll savor with each memorable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients:
- 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
- 1.75 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 3 tbsps (27 g) poppy seeds, soaked in water for 30 minutes, then strained
- 2 tsps almond extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp orange zest (about 1 large orange)
- 1 tbsp (10 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 0.5 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
Frosting Ingredients:
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
- 2 tsps almond extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsps heavy whipping cream
Orange Curd Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- 0.5 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp orange zest (about 1 orange)
- 0.5 cup (124 g) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 4 tbsps (56.5 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preparation: Grease and line three 8-inch round pans with parchment paper, then preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Dry Ingredients Blend: Whisk cake flour, baking powder, orange zest, salt, and soaked poppy seeds in a mixing bowl until evenly distributed.
- Butter Mixture: Cream butter and sugar using electric mixer until light and fluffy, gradually incorporating egg whites while maintaining smooth consistency.
- Flavor Infusion: Mix in almond extract, beating until batter becomes pale and voluminous.
- Batter Development: Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk on low speed, folding in sour cream gently to maintain delicate texture.
- Baking Process: Divide batter equally among prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, verifying doneness with toothpick test.
- Cooling Stage: Rest cakes in pans for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.
- Buttercream Creation: Beat slightly cold butter, gradually adding sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and whipping cream until smooth and fluffy.
- Orange Curd Preparation: Whisk sugar, orange juice, and zest in saucepan over medium-low heat, tempering eggs carefully while continuously stirring.
- Curd Finishing: Cook until thickened, incorporate cold butter, strain through fine-mesh sieve, and chill for minimum 4 hours.
- Cake Assembly: Layer cake with buttercream and orange curd, applying crumb coat and final buttercream layer.
- Decoration and Serving: Pipe buttercream swirls using Wilton 1M tip, refrigerate in airtight container, and serve at room temperature after 2-3 hours.
Notes
- Precision Matters: Measure ingredients exactly, as baking requires scientific accuracy for perfect texture and rise.
- Temperature Control: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing to guarantee smooth, even blending.
- Zesting Technique: Use a microplane or fine grater for orange zest, avoiding bitter white pith for pure citrus flavor.
- Gentle Folding Crucial: When incorporating sour cream, use delicate folding motions to maintain cake’s light, airy structure.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 34 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg