Orange Poppy Seed Loaf

(4x8 loaf) 

I have been thinking about this cake ever since I made my blueberry cake. I used to get a slice of an orange-poppy seed cake in Toronto with my coffee at a coffee shop and still think about that cake. This recipe comes pretty close to that, although this one isn't as sweet and uses whole wheat flour.



Cake
3/4 cup wholewheat pastry flour
1/3 cup unbleached flour
2 tbsp corn starch
1 heaping tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
about 2-3 tsp orange zest, minced (from 1 large orange)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream or plain greek style yogurt

Orange Glaze** (see comment)
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup icing sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Grease and flour a 4 x 8 inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Combine the flours, corn starch, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and orange zest. Set aside.

Beat the butter for a minute. Slowly add the sugar and beat it for about 6-8 minutes or until it's light and fluffy.

Beat in one egg at a time until each is mixed in scraping down the sides between each one.

Slowly stir in half of the flour mixture, then add the sour cream or yogurt. Scrape down the sides and add the remaining flour mixture and mix slowly for about 25 seconds.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 55-70 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a cake rack for about 5 minutes.

**Meanwhile prepare the orange glaze. If you get closer to 1/2 cup of juice out of your orange then combine that with 1/2 cup of icing sugar and use all of it. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Prick the cake evenly with a toothpick (while it's still in the pan and hot) Pour or spoon the juice mixture evenly over the cake. Leave the cake for another 15 minutes. The surface will be sticky. Sprinkle a bit of icing sugar over the surface, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Once it's on the plate I like to dust the top (bottom) with a bit of icing sugar, but this isn't at all necessary.

Cool completely before serving.