A simple and easy to bake homemade orange and poppy seeds loaf cake is perfect for lovers of zesty flavours. It’s light and not too sweet, perfect for those of you who prefer a treat which doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve overindulged afterwards. This homemade loaf cake is great for people with gluten and lactose intolerance and it’s suitable for vegetarians.Â
The cake is packed with with fiber, vitamins and important nutrients that makes it a perfect addition to a cup of tea or coffee or simply eat it on its own.
Must try recipe: Gluten Free Almond Muffins
The Benefits of Poppy Seeds
Poppy Seeds are the nutty oil seeds obtained from the poppy plant. They are non narcotic, unlike the opium poppy plant milk. They have a crispy and nutty flavour which adds great taste to breads, rolls, cakes, curries and other food preparations.
Some of the popular types of poppy seeds are:
- Blue poppy seeds: They are commonly called European poppy seeds and are mostly used in bread and confectionery
- White poppy seed: Also called Indian, Middle Eastern or Asian poppy seeds, they are used in curries
- Oriental poppy seeds: They are also called opium poppy, and is mostly grown for commercial purposes
Poppy seeds have a high amount of polyunsaturated fat but are low in cholesterol and sodium. They are a good source of fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. The seeds are packed with vitamins like vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, and iron.
The most important health benefits of poppy seeds include its ability to improve skin and hair health, boost the immune system and improve the fertility. Also the large amount of dietary fiber available in poppy seeds helps in maintaining good heart health. So include a handful of poppy seeds to your daily diet to keep you out of harm’s way from any complications.
“You can’t buy happiness but you can buy cake and that’s kind of the same thing.”
Unknown
Homemade Orange And Poppy Seeds Cake
Equipment
- Mixer or food processor
Ingredients
For the cake
- 150 g Dairy free unsalted butter (melted)
- 200 g Unrefined golden caster sugar
- 2 Eggs (medium or large)
- 200 g Gluten & wheat free plain white flour
- 1 tbsp Gluten free baking powder
- 4 tbsp Poppy seeds
- 3 Orange zest
- 1 tsp Orange essence
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp Soya milk (optional, can be substituted with water)
For the zest crystals
- 100 ml Water
- 3 tbsp Caster sugar
- 2 tbsp Orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C~356°F. Then grease and line a loaf tin.
- Place the butter and sugar into a mixer and pulse for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix well.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and poppy seeds into another mixing bowl. Gradually add to the butter, sugar and egg mix and continue pulsing until well combined.
- Then toss the orange zest (reserving some for the top), orange essence, soya milk and salt and mix until you get a smooth mixture.
- Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
- In the meantime, in a saucepan, bring to a boil 100 ml water and 3 tbsp sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the orange zest. Stir until the zest crystallises and remove from the heat.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool down for 10 minutes before decorating with the orange zest crystals on the top. Serve warm or cold.
- Enjoy!