Sourdough Orange Poppy Seed Cake
This snackable loaf cake is bursting with fresh orange and nutty poppy seeds, but the flavor is also well-balanced and not too sweet thanks to a sourdough addition. The Grand Marnier icing is optional, but highly recommended.
Ingredients
Cake
- 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 medium navel orange
- 56 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled plus more for pan
- 55 grams (¼ cup) vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 125 grams (½ cup) sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 178 grams (1¼) cups all purpose flour
- 6 grams (1½ tsp) baking powder
- 3 grams (½ tsp) baking soda
- 3 grams (½ tsp) salt
- 18 grams 2 tbsp poppyseeds
Icing (optional)
- 113 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 15-30 grams (1-2 tbsp) Grand Marnier, triple sec, or orange juice
- Orange zest for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Butter an 8½-inch loaf pan, or grease with nonstick spray.
- Place sugar in a large bowl mix or bowl of a stand mixer. Zest entire orange into the bowl. Rub together the sugar and zest with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant.
- Juice orange and measure out 60 grams (¼ cup). Set aside.
- Add butter and oil to sugar and mix together until thoroughly combined.
- Add eggs and mix until combined.
- Add sourdough starter and mix together until combined.
- Add orange juice and mix until combined.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together. Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture and mix until just combined. Add poppy seeds and fold into batter. Scrape down side of the bowl to ensure batter is evenly mixed.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a long toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and internal temperature is 210°. Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
- If icing, wait until cake is entirely cooled, at least one hour. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar with 15 grams Grand Marnier. Mix together. Add more Grand Marnier by the teaspoon until icing is smooth and spreadable. Spread on the top of cake. Top with orange zest.