Orange & poppy seed cake with chocolate sauce
By Jennifer Joyce
Cooking time
Prep: 15 mins Cook: 50 minsSkill level
Moderately easyServings
Serves 8A light, zingy cake with a drizzle of chocolate and candied zest for a special finishing touch
Nutrition and extra info
Additional info
- Can be frozen without sauce
- Vegetarian
Nutrition per serving
- kcalories
- 650
- protein
- 8g
- carbs
- 65g
- fat
- 42g
- saturates
- 23g
- fibre
- 0g
- sugar
- 39g
- salt
- 0.86g
Ingredients
- 250g butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tbsp extra
- 200g golden caster sugar, plus 25g
- 3 eggs
- 250g plain flour, sifted
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- juice of 2 oranges, zest of 4
- 50g poppy seeds, toasted
For the sauce
- 100ml double cream
- 100g chocolate, chopped
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Method
- Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm springform cake tin or line a similar-size cake tin with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, combine 200g butter and 200g sugar in a large bowl. Beat until light and creamy, about 2 mins, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after you add each one. Tip in the flour and baking powder, mix for a few secs, then add the orange juice, zest of 2 oranges and poppy seeds. Stir everything together, then pour into the cake tin. Bake for 50 mins, then remove from the oven. Cool completely in the tin.
- Meanwhile, make the candied orange zest by combining the remaining zest (finely sliced), 25g sugar and 100ml water in a small pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 mins until thick. Remove the zest with a slotted spoon onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper.
- For the sauce, heat the cream in a small pan until nearly boiling. Put the chocolate and remaining butter into a bowl, then pour the hot cream over it and leave for 1 min to melt. Stir together until smooth, then let it sit until the cake is cool (if it hardens, just reheat gently). Drizzle the sauce over the cake, sprinkle with the candied zest and serve.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2008
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Comments, questions and tips
Comments
I can't fault this recipe at all. It was easy to make, looked impressive and it was moist and tasty without being too sweet. I don't have a sweet tooth so to have a tasty cake like this with the added bonus of being able to finish a nice big slice was great! I never stray from a recipe and it worked out perfectly.. chocolate drizzle, candied orange 'n' all!
I agree with other comments though... waaaaaay too much chocolate sauce. I only used a smidgen out of the bowl.
I made some slight variations to this lovely staple. I was slightly alarmed about the amount of butter so I only used around 180g and around 150g of sugar. This did not effect the end result at all. It was definitely still sweet and rich enough. I also did not add any sauce, preferring it to be plain.
Wow, I am just starting to learn to bake and this was not only very easy but produced amazing results. A lovely, light and moist cakethat looked as good as the picture. Swapped the chocolate topping for a carrot cake frosting and sprinkled the candied zest over the top - looked brilliant. Also used self raising flour rather than the plain flour and baking powder.
I just baked this cake and was pleased with the results. I didn't have cream for the topping so I just mixed orange juice with sugar and drizzled it over the top. I would use more orange zest next time as the flavour of the cake isn't that strong, however it has turned out soft, moist and moreish. I bought my poppy seeds in the baking section of sainsburys, they are in an orange and red packet.