Spiced Orange and Poppyseed Cake with Ginger Icing and Orange Zest

While most of us associate tea with a warm beverage that soothes the soul, it can also be an excellent flavour to use in cooking and baking. Since Easter is the sweetest time of the year, here are three recipes to put that rooibos into that isn’t just a tea cup. Each of these bakes can be enjoyed on their own, or alongside a steaming cup of our Superior Range rooibos for afternoon tea. 

Our Superior Rooibos range has four flavoured teas, and one pure rooibos. If you’re looking for entertaining ideas this Easter, why not host your own tea pairing by baking one of these and enjoying together with the matching tea. 

Spiced Orange and Poppyseed Cake with Ginger Icing and Orange Zest

Easter overlaps nicely with the citrus season, and what better way to celebrate both occasions than with a spiced orange and poppyseed loaf cake. Loaf cakes are a low fuss way of making a delicious cake that’s perfect for afternoon tea or dessert. Made with our Superior Spiced Orange rooibos, this cake is drizzled with a ginger orange glaze, and pairs wonderfully with a cup of the Spiced Orange rooibos. 

Cake:

• 3 large eggs
• 225g caster sugar
• 120ml double cream
• 75g unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
• 10g poppy seeds
• finely grated zest of 2 oranges (keep about half an orange worth of zest aside for garnish)
• 170g plain flour
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp salt

Glaze:

• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• ¾ tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp orange juice

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180° C and line a loaf tin with baking paper
• Drop three Spiced Orange tea bags into the cream and heat until the cream is hot but not boiling, turn off the heat and allow to cool before removing the tea bags
• Melt the butter and mix in the poppy seeds and orange zest
• Whip the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the cooled cream and continue to beat until thickened slightly and pale
• Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, and fold into the egg mixture until no flour streaks remain
• Finally, fold in the melted butter, poppyseeds and zest
• Transfer the batter to the lined loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted comes out clean - about 45 minutes
• To make the glaze, mix the orange juice with the icing sugar and ginger
• Pour glaze over the cooled cake and sprinkle with fresh orange zest before serving