Makes one 10-inch cake, 10 servings

The glaze keeps the cake moist while the poppy seeds create a traditional and fun crunch.  If lemon is your pleasure, just substitute lemon zest for the orange zest and use 1/3 cup lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of orange juice in the glaze.

Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup honey

4 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup poppy seeds

Zest of 2 oranges, finely chopped

Glaze

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup honey

Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Grease one 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and honey together.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Transfer the butter mixture to the bowl of food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Process until ingredients are emulsified, about 1 minute.  Return the cream mixture to the bowl. (The best way to cream together butter, liquid sweetners such as honey or maple syrup and eggs is to use a food porcessor fitted with a steel blade.  The food processor combines the ingredients more thourughly than an electric mixer)  For best results, the butter and eggs should be at room temperature and the liquid sweetener a little chilled. 

In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt  With the mixer on low speed, beat in one-third of the dry ingredients. Add half of the buttermilk.  Continue alternating between wet and dry until all the ingredients have been added, ending with the dry ingredients.  Fold in the poppy seeds and the orange zest.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tube pan.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 5 mintues.

Meanwhile. to prepare the glaze, combine the orange and lemon juices and honey in a small nonreactive saucepan.  Brush the glaze over the warm cake making sure the glaze is allowed to go down the sides.  Let the cake cool completely.  This cake is best served the day after it is prepared.  Keep in an airtight container until read to serve.

~Enjoy~