Orange Almond Poppy Seed Cake

4.99 from 56 votes

Orange almond poppy seed cake layers with orange curd and almond buttercream.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Cake

Keyword: Almond Buttercream, Almond Cake, Orange Almond Poppy Seed Cake, Orange Curd, Poppy Seed Cake

Servings:

Author: Courtney Rich

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
Zest of one large orange about a tablespoon
6 large egg whites at room temperature
2 teaspoon (8.4 g) almond extract
1 cup (240 g) buttermilk at room temperature
3 cups (345 g) cake flour
1 tablespoon (10 g) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
3 tablespoon (27 g) poppy seeds soaked in water for about a half hour beforehand, then strained
1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream at room temperature

6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons (8.4 g) almond extract
3 tablespoons (43.2 g) heavy whipping cream
*This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, like the design I created, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, orange zest, salt and poppy seeds. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar for two minutes on medium-high speed.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg whites on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between addition. Add almond extract. Continue to beat for about 2 to 3 minutes on high, until the mixture looks lighter in color and bigger in volume.
With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 cup of the buttermilk. Repeat the additions, 1/3 cup flour mixture, 1/2 cup buttermilk and the final 1/3 cup flour mixture. Only mix until the flour mixture is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for another 20 to 30 seconds on low.
Gently fold in the sour cream.
Evenly divide the batter between the three pans (about 16 ounces of batter in each) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Let cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. (Tip: spray your wire cooling racks with nonstick spray).

In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Gradually add in the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add the almond and vanilla extract and cream.
Continue to beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Before using on your cake, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

Whisk the sugar, orange juice, and orange zest in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Gradually add the eggs to the sugar mixture, while stirring constantly.
Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it's becomes thick like pudding. This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a few peices at a time. Stir until incorporated.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly ontp the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours and up to a week.

Place one cake layer, top side up, on a cake plate or cardboard cake board. Spread about 1/2 cup of buttercream across the top of the cake layer. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure the frosting is even.
Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake. Fill the center with 1/3 to 1/2 cup orange curd.
Repeat step 1 and 2 with the second cake layer.
Place the final cake layer, top side down, on top of the filling. Cover the cake with a thin layer of buttercream and freeze the cake for 15 minutes to lock in the crumbs.
Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost the cake with the remaining buttercream.
To achieve the design in the pictures, you'll want a Wilton 1M tip, a piping bag and a turntable. See the video above for a demo.

*Poppy seeds absorb moisture. Make sure to soak the seeds to help keep the cake from becoming dry.