Orange Blossom and Poppy Seed Sweethearts - Tasty Tuesdays

I love a subtle flavour in a cake. A taste that makes you think a little, a few minutes after you have eaten it. 

Orange blossom water does just that. Subtle, not as heavy and perfume like as Rose water, (although I do love that) and a flavour that makes you want more. I've seen lots of recipes for orange cake, that use orange juice and zest, but for me that's too much.

Plus I used orange bitters in the icing so I've got the intense orange flavour covered! 

orange blossom & poppy seed cake.jpg

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4

Ingredients: 

  • 130g/4oz Butter
  • 130g/4oz Caster Sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 130g/4oz self raising flour
  • 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
  • Handful of poppy seeds
orange blossom & poppy seed cake.jpg

Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Add the 4 eggs, whisk and add the flour. Sieve the flour into the bowl and mix together. Add your orange blossom water. Be more generous depending on your taste. Add your poppy seeds. (Watch out - they go everywhere!) 

Pour your mix into a heart shaped mould like this one. Pour the mix 3/4 of the way into the mould to allow for your cakes to rise. 

Bake for approximately 25 minutes.  Test your cakes by inserting a clean skewer into the mix, if it comes out clean you are good to go!

The cakes should pop straight out of the moulds and leave on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before icing. 

orange blossom & poppy seed cake.jpg
Orange Blossom and Poppy Seed Cake.jpg

Mix sieved icing powder and water (a little at a time), until you have a fluid but not completely runny consistency. Pour a few drops of orange angostura bitters into the icing and mix throughly. The flavour is subtle but leaves you wanting more!

orange blossom & poppy seed cake.jpg
orange blossom & poppy seed cake.jpg
orange blossom & poppy seed cake.jpg
Orange Blossom and Poppy Seed Cake.jpg
orange blossom & poppy seed cake.jpg

What have you made this week?! 

I love linking up with Honest Mum and Tasty Tuesdays. As she is up in the big smoke being ultra glamorous at a fashion launch in London, I am hosting the link up this week! 

I'm linking this recipe up to Jenny and Helen because I reckon I could pass these off to my boys as mini sweetheart tarts! My take on this weeks theme.