Orange Poppy Seed Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Tender Orange Poppy Seed Cake layers with a delicious mascarpone frosting. The perfect combination of three unique flavors.

Every time I make a cheese based frosting, I swear it will be my last. They are SO difficult to work with. I know I could make them more stable, but I’d have to either add more cheese or more sugar — neither of which I want to do. So I’m stuck with a delicious tasting but less stable frosting. It is what it is.

Honestly, the only reason I keep making them is because they taste so good. Not too cheesy, not too sweet, and they complement certain cakes just perfectly. Like this Orange Poppy Seed Cake!

What kind of oranges should I use?

I am not an expert on oranges. I’ve currently been eating my way through bags of flavorful mandarins, but otherwise oranges are never a staple around here. If you’re an orange expert and have a favorite, go with what you love. Otherwise, good old navel oranges will work. Blood orange would work well too!

Ingredients:

Orange Poppy Seed Cake:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp orange zest from 1-2 large oranges
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup milk room temperature
• 1/4 cup orange juice fresh squeezed, from 1/2 a large orange

Orange Simple Syrup:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice fresh squeezed, from one large orange

Mascarpone Buttercream:

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese softened but slightly chilled, 250g container
• 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla