Most of my holiday cooking consists of traditional dishes my family requests from year to year, but I like to slip in a new recipe among the old favorites to add some variety. This year I baked up this Orange Sour Cream Poppy Seed Cake as a new addition to the dessert table. This is an easy cake to make ahead with a wonderful orangey glaze that soaks into the warm cake.
Recipe adapted from Land O’Lakes
Orange Sour Cream Poppy Seed Cake
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup light sour cream
1 egg
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon poppy seed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup orange juice
Glaze
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by greasing or with nonstick cooking spray (I used a small Bundt pan). Combine sugar and butter in mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add sour cream, egg, and orange zest. Continue beating until well mixed. In a separate bowl combine flour, poppy seed, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Reduce the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the orange juice. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Glaze – Combine powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl, beat together until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Cake can be served warm or cool.
This recipe suggested an 8-inch square baking pan for the cake, but I had a new Bundt pan and just couldn’t wait to try it out. My SIL Karen is a pottery hobbyist and made a beautiful Bundt pan for me to use in my baking.
This was my first experience in baking with a pottery piece, so I had to do a little research in advance. I found it is best not to expose these pieces to any extremes in temperatures. The information I read suggested ingredients should be at room temperature, and the oven should not be preheated prior to baking. One other instruction I found about baking with pottery was not to use cooking spray, but to grease the piece with oil. I’m no expert, as I’ve only baked in my piece once, but all went well with this cake. One thing I noted was it did seem to take much longer for the cake to release from the pan after baking than with a metal pan.
The sour cream, orange juice, and orange zest all combine to make this a flavorful cake, but I think the orange juice glaze is what puts it over the top.
All images and text copyright © 2021 Sugar, Spice and Spilled Milk/Aunt Nubby’s Kitchen.Blogspot.com
Sounds like a very flavorful cake Anita and your new pan is beautiful-what a great gift! Happy Thanksgiving-enjoy:@)
Mmm I can almost smell that delicious cake right through the screen, Anita. Your pottery Bundt pan is beautiful that Karen made… too pretty to put away. Happy Thanksgiving to you.
p.s. I shared your pie crust recipe on my blog today.