In August, I was coveting the ridiculously succulent-looking tomato hanging just outside my office window. Now in January, each time I look out my kitchen window I covet the orange globes covering our neighbor’s tree.
Maybe that’s what has me craving this cake. Or perhaps it was reading Orangette’s new column in Bon Appetit. Or even the thoughts of sin and redemption brought up by our New Year’s dinner and dessert . . . especially relevant given that this sinfully delicious Orange Poppy Seed Cake—made with the coveted oranges—is angelically healthy; most of the butter is replaced with silken tofu. Trust me, I’ve fooled many a guest with this cake. You’ll never know it’s missing. See, doesn’t it feel good to start the year anew with a taste of virtue?
{ Orange Poppy Seed Cake with Candied Kumquats }
You’ll never guess that silken tofu replaces much of the butter in this flavorful, moist cake.
Kumquats:
20 kumquats, sliced 1/8-inch thick (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Cake:
1-3/4 cups pastry flour
1/4 cup whole poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup silken tofu
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
3 large eggs, separated
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook kumquats, liqueur, juice and 1 tablespoon sugar for 15 minutes, or until thickened. Turn off heat; remove kumquats with a slotted spoon and lay them out on a sheet of waxed paper to cool. Reserve remaining cooking liquid.
Heat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar, tofu, butter and orange zest until fluffy. Stir in egg yolks, vanilla, sour cream and cream cheese. Gradually fold in flour mixture until smooth.
In a chilled metal bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until the mixture forms soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into cake batter. Spoon batter into a 10-inch springform pan coated with butter-flavored cooking spray and dusted with flour. Bake 50 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven and place on a wire rack. With a skewer, poke several holes in the top of the cake. Brush top several times with reserved juice mixture. Let cool for 10 minutes. Remove sides from pan, slide cake 
onto wire rack, and let cool completely. Top with candied kumquats.
Serves 16
Another entry for Kalyn’s Kitchen Weekend Herb Blogging! This week is hosted by Rinku at Cooking in Westchester. Thanks Rinku!
10 Comments
That looks wonderful. The tree and recipe. My best friend lives in Fair Oaks and has orange, lemon and tangerines right now. We can’t grow citrus up here - too cold in the winter. I’m so lazy today though . . not sure I can even cook - although I do have pintos in the crockpot for refried beans later. (How hard is putting beans in a crockpot though;-) . .. .maybe a nap will revive me. steph
The kumquat sauce sounds particularly good, and I bet pair beautifully with the cake. In the summers, a friend and I go urban foraging around here for raspberries, currants, and crab apples. When we find a yard that is going unpicked, we knock on the door and ask for picking privileges and more often than not are happily welcomed. Maybe your neighbor will share (or trade for your wonderful sounding cake…).
Lia-
That recipe looks sooo good. The Florida fruit truck will be in Ohio next week and I think I am going to have to try this recipe.
Thanks for sharing
Josie
Sounds like a tasty cake. Oranges are abound here in Florida right about now, so I should definitely take advantage…
Are you sure you can’t just sneak over in the evening and grab one? they look so luscious. I really think you deserve one. And one for me!
I was in Florida over the Christmas holiday visiting family. The house next door had an orange tree that looked almost as pretty as the one you picture.
And you know what? We took an orange (with permission of course) and it wasn’t very good. Really. Kind of bland. Disappointing really.
I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t bother coveting them. The expectation of the orange is much better than the actual orange.
Oranges in January……wow. The recipe sounds great, though no cake in this house serves 16!
You guys crack me up! Now I’m torn whether just to get a step ladder and reach over or go knock on their door (in all fairness, though, they’re a wonderful family and would without a doubt say “come an’ get ‘em!” . . . so perhaps I’ve overstated the drama ;-)). So fun to hear everyone’s citrus stories! Now for the grapefruit tree down the street . . .
Kumquats and their hybrids (lemonquats, limequats, & orangequats) have just started surfacing at our local farmers’ markets. I am smitten and have been experimenting with many recipes, including one for cake that was a success. So, I’m especially excited about your poppy seed cake recipe here.
Susan . . . I’ll bet it would be great with a lime twist, substituting orange with lime and kumquats with limequats. I’ll be curious to hear results if you try it!
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