Chocolate Orange Poppy Seed Cake
This Chocolate Orange Poppy Seed Cake combines zesty orange, creamy chocolate, and crunchy meringues for the ultimate festive dessert! Perfect for Christmas or any other special occasion.
Servings: 12
Calories: 521kcal
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan (23 cm)
- Hand mixer or a stand mixer (for whipping the cream and egg whites)
- Bain-marie setup – One pot that goes directly on the flame with simmering water and a smaller glass or metal bowl that sits inside it, used for melting chocolate and eggs gently.
- Piping bag with round nozzle (for meringues)
Ingredients
Sponge Cake with Poppy Seeds
- 6 eggs medium or large
- ¾ cup sugar granulated
- 1 ¼ cups flour all-purpose
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup poppy seeds
Chocolate Orange Cream
- 1 egg whole
- 2 yolks
- 1 ¾ cups heavy cream
- 5 sheets of gelatin or 12.5 grams (or about 0.44 ounces) of granulated gelatin
- 7 oz chocolate I used a mix of 80% dark, orange-infused, and white chocolate. You can use any type.
- 1 ⅓ cups fresh orange juice juice from 3 large oranges
- 1 tablespoon orange zest from 1 orange
- 3 tablespoon orange liqueur Cointreau
Orange Syrup
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon orange liqueur
- 6 to 8 tablespoon brewed coffee
Meringues
- 3 egg whites from large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
To decorate
- ⅓ cup desiccated coconut
- Ferrero Rocher or other types of chocolates you prefer
Instructions
- Sponge Cake: Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F) or Gas Mark 3. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper. A pan with detachable sides works well too.
- In a large bowl, beat 6 eggs with ¾ cup sugar until light, fluffy, and tripled in volume.
- Sift together 1 ¼ cups flour and ⅓ cup cornstarch, then gently fold into the egg mixture. Add ¼ cup poppy seeds and fold again to keep the batter airy and well mixed.
- Pour into the pan and bake for 20–25 minutes. Don’t open the oven for the first 15 minutes. The cake is ready when golden and pulling away from the edges.
- Let it cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a wire rack. Once fully cooled, slice into 3 even layers using a serrated knife.
- Orange Syrup: In a saucepan, bring 1 ¼ cups water and ⅔ cup sugar to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoon orange liqueur and 6–8 tablespoon brewed coffee. Let it cool.
- Chocolate Orange Cream: Soak 5 gelatin sheets (or 12.5g granulated gelatin in ¼ cup cold water) for about 10 minutes.In a small pan, heat 1 ⅓ cups orange juice with 3 tablespoon orange liqueur and 1 tablespoon zest. Once warm, stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved. Set aside.
- Over a bain-marie, whisk 1 egg and 1–2 yolks until thick and foamy. In another bowl, melt 7 oz chocolate (a mix of dark, orange, and white) over the bain-marie.
- Stir melted chocolate into the egg mixture, then whisk in the warm orange-gelatin mix. Whip 1 ¾ cups heavy cream to soft peaks and gently fold it in.
- Meringues: Whisk 3 egg whites with ½ cup sugar and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add ½ cup powdered sugar and keep whisking until glossy. Pipe small blobs onto a lined baking tray using a round nozzle. Bake at 100°C (212°F) for 30–45 minutes, keeping the meringues pale. Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly open to let them cool and dry completely.
- Cake Assembly: Place the first cake layer on a plate or inside a cake ring. Brush with orange syrup, then spread a third of the chocolate-orange cream on top. Repeat with the next two layers.
- Chill the cake for 2–3 hours to help it set. Remove the ring (if using) and cover the top and sides with the remaining cream. Decorate with coconut flakes and meringues or your favourite chocolates—I used Ferrero Rocher.
Video
Notes
Bain-Marie Setup
Use a double boiler to gently melt chocolate or heat eggs. Place a heatproof bowl over a pot with a bit of simmering water (the bowl shouldn't touch the water). Keep the heat low to avoid overheating. Tips Gelatin:
Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes (enough to cover). For granulated gelatin, use 12.5g in 2 tablespoon (30 ml) cold water. Once hydrated, melt it into a warm liquid. Chocolate:
Use good-quality chocolate (like 80% dark, orange-infused, or white). Lower-quality chocolate might not melt smoothly and can affect the cream’s texture. Chilling the Cake:
Refrigerate for 2–3 hours after assembling so the layers firm up and hold their shape. Meringues:
Bake at 100°C (212°F), then leave in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open for at least 1 hour to fully dry out.
Use a double boiler to gently melt chocolate or heat eggs. Place a heatproof bowl over a pot with a bit of simmering water (the bowl shouldn't touch the water). Keep the heat low to avoid overheating. Tips Gelatin:
Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes (enough to cover). For granulated gelatin, use 12.5g in 2 tablespoon (30 ml) cold water. Once hydrated, melt it into a warm liquid. Chocolate:
Use good-quality chocolate (like 80% dark, orange-infused, or white). Lower-quality chocolate might not melt smoothly and can affect the cream’s texture. Chilling the Cake:
Refrigerate for 2–3 hours after assembling so the layers firm up and hold their shape. Meringues:
Bake at 100°C (212°F), then leave in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open for at least 1 hour to fully dry out.
Nutrition
Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 749IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg
