Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf
Move over lemon loaf, because this Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf is officially citrus season’s new star! This soft and fluffy poppy seed loaf features blood orange juice and zest, giving it a beautiful sweet orange citrus flavor. Glazed with a sweet blood orange glaze to finish the whole loaf off!
Required Ingredients for Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf
Blood Oranges: We’re going to use both the blood orange juice, as well as the orange zest – for maximum lemon flavor!
Poppy seeds: Black poppy seeds are the way to go – sometimes these are also called ‘blue’ poppy seeds!
Cardamom: Cardamom is a spice that is slightly floral and slightly citrusy in flavor. A small quantity of it is used in the Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf to enhance the flavor of the blood orange, without competing with it!
Oil: Classic vegetable oil is required, such as canola! The oil provides moisture and a tender, soft crumb.
Eggs: The eggs act as a binder for the loaf!
Sugar: Just plain white sugar is great! The sugar will first be rubbed with the orange zest to enhance the citrus flavor!
Sour Cream: The purpose of the sour cream is to hydrate the batter, while also providing an extra flavor dimension! Plain high-fat yogurt or buttermilk can be substituted.
Pantry Staples: Baking powder, salt, vanilla, and flour, make up the dry ingredients – providing leavening, flavor, and bulk!
WHAT ARE BLOOD ORANGES
Blood oranges are a type of orange that have deep red colored flesh! This gorgeous red color comes from the presence of anthocyanin, which is a naturally occurring pigment that is found throughout different fruits and flowers. Blood oranges can range from being just slightly steaked with the red hue, to being fully and completely stained red throughout its flesh. Blood oranges are also sweeter in flavor and have less seeds than a regular orange!
RUBBING THE BLOOD ORANGE ZEST
You may notice in the instructions that it says to rub the blood orange zest with some sugar. The reason for doing this is because it maximizes the orange zest flavor! The flavor and fragrance of any citrus zest is in it’s essential oils, and we can release those oils through an abrasive action, such as rubbing. Sugar’s grainy, uneven texture is perfect for this! After zesting the orange, add the sugar to it, and then using your hands, rub the zest with the sugar. When it is properly rubbed, the sugar should be slightly orange in color, and very very fragrant!
HOW TO MAKE THE BLOOD ORANGE poppy seed loaf
1. Rub sugar and orange zest: Add the sugar and the blood orange zest to a medium sized bowl, then rub the zest and the sugar together until well fragrant.
1.Beat eggs and sugar: Add the eggs, zest/sugar, and vanilla to your stand mixer, then beat the three together for about 3-4 minutes. By the end, it should be fluffy, and be tripled in volume.
2. Add oil and blood orange juice: Turn the stand mixer down to medium speed, then slowly drizzle the oil into the stand mixer while it continues to beat. After all the oil has been added, add in the blood orange juice and beat the mixture for another 30 seconds.
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom, then whisk them together to combine.
4. Alternate add the dry & wet to stand mixer: First add the 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then beat until just combined. Add ½ of the sour cream, and beat until just combined. Continue adding the wet & dry in this order, until all of the ingredients have been added (you’ll finish with the dry).
5. Add poppy seeds: Finally, add the poppy seeds to the batter and give it one final quick mix to disperse the seeds throughout!
6. Add to pan & bake: Pour the Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf batter into a prepared 9×5” loaf pan, then place into the oven to bake! When done, allow the Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf to cool completely before glazing!
Get the Recipe: Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf
Ingredients
Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) All Purpose Flour, measured correctly †
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Table Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom
- 1 ½ cups (300g) Sugar
- Zest of 2 Blood Oranges
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
- 3/4 cup (180ml) Vegetable Oil
- Juice of 3 Blood Oranges
- 3/4 cup (180ml) Full Fat Sour Cream
- 1 tbsp (8g) Poppy Seeds
Blood Orange Glaze
- 2 cups (240g) Confectioners Sugar
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45ml) Freshly Squeezed Blood Orange Juice
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Instructions
Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf
- Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare a 9×5” loaf pan with cooking spray and parchment. In a medium to large sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt, then whisk together to combine. In a separate bowl, add the sugar and blood orange zest, then rub together the sugar and zest until the sugar is all colored orange and very fragrant, set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add eggs, zest-rubbed sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high for around 3-4 minutes, the mixture should look thick, fluffy, and be tripled in volume. Then, slowly drizzle in the oil. After all the oil has been added, and the blood orange juice and beat on high for an additional minute.
- On low, add the dry mixture to the stand mixer in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream in between, and adding the poppy seeds in with the last dry addition. Beat only until the batter becomes smooth. Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan, then bake in the oven for around 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow loaf to cool completely before glazing.
Blood Orange Glaze
- Add all the ingredients into a bowl, and whisk well to combine. (Add just enough blood orange juice to make the glaze fluid but still quite thick). Pour or pipe over the cooled loaf to glaze. Sprinkle with additional poppy seeds.
