Orange-and-Poppy-Seed Sheet Cake
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more, softened, for the pan
1 ⅔ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
Icing:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-by-13-inch or 8-by-12-inch baking pan with butter. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. Butter parchment.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until thick and pale, about 4 minutes.
Add flour mixture; beat to combine. Add butter, zest, poppy seeds, and vanilla; beat to combine. Add sour cream; beat until smooth.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes (for 9-by-13-inch) or about 40 minutes (for 8-by-12).
Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using parchment overhangs, lift the cake out of the pan and let it cool completely on a rack.
Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, butter, and orange juice until smooth. Spread over the cake. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Notes:
Storing Leftover Sheet Cake:
Any leftovers should be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature. The cake will keep about three days.
How to Make Orange Sheet Cake Ahead:
The baked and cooled cake can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day before icing and serving. The iced cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.com
