This wonderful cake recipe was shared with me by my sister, Linda Stradley, from her website What’s Cooking America.

An old-fashioned cake - ideal for a quiet afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients:

Batter:

2 tablespoons poppy seeds
¼ cup milk, room temperature
3 cups cake flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Orange Glaze:

1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon grated orangezest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions:

Batter:

1. In a small bowl, soak poppy seeds in milk for 2 hours.
   
   
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
   
   
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
   
   
4. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange zest, vanilla extract, and poppy seed mixture. Stir in flour mixture and orange juice alternately in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan.
   
   Bake:
   
5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan and invert onto a cake plate. Spoon Orange Glaze over warm cake.
   
   Orange Glaze:
6. In a small bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Add orange juice and stir until smooth.
   
   Makes 16 servings.
   
   TheBakingPan.com