Organic oranges are at their most fragrant sweetest best in the winter months, so it is the perfect time of the year to make this moist and luscious cake filled with the delicious goodness of almonds, juicy whole oranges, poppy seeds and sweetened just with a little honey. ย This recipe contains no grains, dairy, gluten or refined-sugar.
Try to get navel oranges as they are seedless, and always use organic oranges because you are going to be cooking the whole fruit, including the peel, and don’t want to ingest any nasty chemical sprays or pesticides.

Orange and Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
- 2 large oranges
- 6 large organic eggs
- 1/2 cup honey ,or maple syrup
- 250 grams blanched almond meal
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (60g) poppy seeds ,or black chia seeds
Topping
- 1/4 cup honey ,or maple syrup
- 2 oranges ,zest cut into long thin strips
Instructions
- Place the oranges in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. Occasionally turn the oranges and check whether the water requires topping up, ensuring the fruit is covered with water at all times.
- Drain the oranges and set aside to cool. Once they are at room temperature, split them open and remove any seeds.
- Preheat oven to 160C. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
- Place the oranges, including the skins, in a large food processor and puree them.
- Blend the eggs into the orange mixture one at a time, and then add the honey, vanilla and salt. Whip in the food processor for a couple of minutes before adding the almond meal, and then stir through the poppy seeds.
- Pour the cake batter into the tin and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
- To make the topping, simmer the honey with 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan for a few minutes until syrupy. Add the orange zest and cook for two more minutes.
- Pour the syrup and zest over the warm cake.
- Let the cake cool before you slice it. Serve with creme fraiche, thick cream or sheeps yoghurt.
Notes
Extra Ideas:
- Make a delicious mandarin and poppy seed cake by using 3 mandarins instead of the oranges.
- Leave out the poppy seeds if you are not fond of them and make a lovely Orange and Almond Cake.
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Hi there ๐ could I make this recipe using lemons instead? Would be nice to give it a go if anyone else has ๐
I think lemons would work.
We have a gluten allergy AND an allergy to almonds – any ideas on what we could substitute for the almond meal?
Hi Erica
I think hazelnut meal would work very well in place of the almond meal.
Kind regards, Jen.